Hopeful and Destroyed
by 0elmorox0
Summary: Hermione hasn't seen Draco in a few months, but when someone asks for her help her whole world will be turned around. Sequel to Nightmares. Warning: dark themes, Dark Hermione, Dark Draco, substance use and abuse. Subject to rating change.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**A/N: SURPRISE! I have finally had a moment to think about this first chapter of the sequel, so here it is. I really hope you like it. It is sort a gift for the ending of our childhood...ah the memories. Btw, if you have not read Nightmares, I suggest you do that before you read this one. It will make a little more sense that way.**

**A/N: For the purpose of the story, everything in The Deathly Hallows happened, including the kiss. We start our story off with them together. It has only been three months since the Battle of Hogwarts.**

**Music Choice: "Thinking of You" by Katy Perry**

_**Chapter One: Surprise**_

"Hermione?" Hermione heard her name being called through the old house. Hermione was relaxing peacefully, trying not to remember a certain someone whom she hadn't seen properly for almost a year. Hermione snapped back into reality when she heard her name again.

"Yes?"

"There is someone here to see you!" she heard Ginny yell up the stairs to the Burrow. The Burrow was her home away from home. She missed her parents and her childhood home dearly, but Hogwarts was really her home; the place where she found who she was. And the Burrow was just a place for awesome adventures and misfortunate people falling into two people's traps. It was always something hilarious unless it happened to you.

"Coming!" she yelled back to Ginny, thinking of who would want to see her. Hermione rushed down the stairs after checking her outfit and being sure she looked presentable.

"Who is i-" Hermione said, stopping dead in her tracks at who was here. She couldn't believe it.

"Hi Hermione," a sly voice said, coming from a man she didn't realize could get any sexier than the last time she saw him.

"Why are you here?" Hermione asked, forcing the memories down. She didn't want to get hurt.

"Did I not promise to find you?" he asked, rather smoothly. Hermione reluctantly recalled the memory from reading a letter to falling asleep in fetal position on her bed a year ago.

_"To wait- if you still love me enough after all of this is over, if neither of us are dead, wait for me. I will find you, and I will be there for you to clean up the mess I know the war will make. To never give up- if I don't find you right away, don't give up. I will find you, I promise."_

"Well, yes, you did, I am simply surprised you didn't sweep me off my feet the moment the battle was over, Mr. Malfoy," Hermione said moving towards the couch, and in a way telling the rest of the people to get out; which they all did.

"I had to be with my-"

"Family," Hermione said interrupting Draco.

"Yeah," Draco said as he caught sight of the gorgeous ring upon Hermione left ring finger. "Hermione?"

"Yes, Draco?" she said as he moved her left hand into his, looking deep into her chocolate eyes.

"Did you say yes?" Draco asked.

"Of course, Draco! You daft idiot, I love you! Why would I say no?"

"Because this is just a dream," Draco said, giving an awfully evil grin before the scene changed. She was what looked like the Malfoy Manor. There were stairs which she believed to go towards the dungeons. She was sitting on the couch, made with a black leather and dark green. It was comfortable, but she wasn't. She was bound by magic and could only move her head. She turned to look at the people standing before her. There was Lord Voldemort, as he looked as a young boy. Handsome, brown locks slick back. Standing to his right was Harry, slightly shorter than Tom Riddle. On Harry's right was Ron, with an angry sneer on his face. On Tom's left was Lucius Malfoy, looking quite eager for whatever was going to happen to her. On the other side of Lucius was someone she was hoping wasn't there. Draco stood there, looking as she remember in her second year, before school started. His hair was slick back like Tom's. The evil sneer was planted on his face. He would look quite handsome was it not for the bruises and cuts upon his body. But it was not the way he looked, but the way he looked at her. His eyes said it all. He was sorry for what was fixing to happen. That's when she knew, she would die.

"So, mudblood. Think you can get away will giving us away, did you?" Ron spat at her and she looked toward him.

"There is no way this can be real. Ron, it's me! Hermione!" she yelled.

"This is as real as it gets, you flithy dirt," Harry said, moving forward slighty.

"No, no, no, no, no. It is not real. I didn't do anything. I don-"

"You sold Harry and I to the Aurors! You told them we worked with Lord Voldemort!" Ron yelled.

"No! I didn't do anything! What are they talking about, Draco?" Hermione asked, silenty crying.

"You know exactly what they are talking about, mudblood," Draco spat, looking happy at what was happening to her.

"No, no. I don't," she said turning her head to look at the ceiling.

"You may start, Lucius," Tom Riddle said, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Crucio!" Lucius screamed. The curse hit Hermione like wild fire, running through her body, hitting each spot with a thousand daggers. While still under the curse, Ron fired one at her that knocked her off the couch and onto the floor. Though when she opened her eyes, it was not the coldy, stoney floor of the Malfoy Manor; it was the cold hardwood floor of her apartment in muggle London, just outside wizarding London. She groaned, and inwardly insulted herself for believing it was really happening; the sweet dream and the nightmare. Though, she did remember falling asleep some place other than her house. Now that she thought about it, she had fallen asleep next to Harry on his couch. He must have took her home.

Hermione got up off the floor and moved into the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her chestnut curls fell around her face and went three fourths down her back. She grown tired of trying to cut her hair, mostly because so very few people saw her these days. She mostly kept to herself. Her eyes had small bags around them, but to anyone who was not paying much attention, she looked quite normal. Her skin was paler than usual, and she was slightly skinner to the last time she set foot in Hogwarts without there a war going on around her.

Hemione heard a knock on her door, wondering who could wanting to see her at such an hour. She put her robe on and walked to the door.

"Who is it?" she yelled through the door.

"Ron," the man behind the door yelled.

Hermione quickly opened the door to find the red head standing there with bags of food, and looking like he himself just rolled out of bed.

"Don't you look beautiful," Ron stated planting a kiss to her right cheek before moving into the apartment and walking towards the kitchen.

"What do you got there?" Hermione asked, smiling softly and following him.

"Well, since I worked the night shift up at the office, I decided to get us some breakfast sandwiches from that place you took me and Harry to once," he said with a thinking face. "McDarren's?" he guessed.

"McDonalds, Ron," Hermione said, smiling at Ron's bad memory.

"Yeah! That! Anyways, I can't stay for long. I told Mum I would help her clean before lunch tomorrow. Are you still coming to lunch?" Ron asked as he moved to get the food out of the bags and into the correct hands.

"Yes, of course. Molly would hunt me down if I didn't and you know that," Hermione said with a laugh taking a bite of her sandwich.

"I know, I just wanted to be sure. Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, thank you. How was work?"

"It was well. Harry had us raid what he thinks to be the last of Death Eater's manors."

They ate in silence for a minute or two before Hermione broke the comfortable silence.

"Whose what it tonight?" Hermione asked with a hopeful thoughts

"The Lestrange's. They weren't there though. Them along with the Malfoys, Carrows, and a few other families have been off the face of the earth since the end of the war. But, their manors were left how we assume how they were before the war finished. You don't want to know what we found in each of the dungeons."

"Yeah I d- actually no. I am good without knowing. Will you remind me to talk to Harry at lunch tomorrow? I have something I want to ask him."

"Of course, love," Ron said finishing his sandwich and looking at the clock on the wall. "Oh look at the time. I have to go back to the Burrow. I will see you tomorrow, right?" Ron asked one more time.

"Yes, yes, Ronald. Honestly. I wouldn't miss lunch for the world. I'll see you tomorrow," Hermione getting up and following Ron to the door.

"See you tomorrow," he said as he moved his hands to her waist. "You really are beautiful Hermione. I can tell you don't agree with me when I say it."

"I just don't see it. Not now anyways," she said shyly looking up into Ron's eyes.

"See you later," Ron said one last time before planting a long kiss on Hermione's lips.

"Bye," she said, pulling away from him as he moved out the door and let Hermione close it.

Hermione stayed with her back against the door breathing for a few minutes after Ron left. She was disgusted with herself. She didn't love Ron, and she was lying to herself and Ron if she said she did, even though they had yet so say it to each other. She was caught up in the past. In the past where she was the happiest, even if it was for a few short months. But, she was happy because she wasn't hiding anything in that relationship. But, she had ended it. For mostly selfish reasons and now it coming back to bite her in the arse.

When she looked into Ron's eyes, she was hoping she would see Draco's instead. The beautiful, bold grey eyes that gave so much more emotion than that cold, stoney facial expression ever could. But, his whole face was beautiful and perfect. And the way he kissed her, which such gently passion, yet knowing that he put all of his feelings into the kiss; Hermione thought it was pure bliss.

There was a knock on the door that broke Hermione from her daydream, a little louder than Ron's knock so Hermione knew it could not have been him coming back because he forgot something.

"Who is it?" Hermione yelled through the door.

"Lucius Malfoy," the man with a deep voice said. Hermione was frightened. Not because the man had once wanted her dead, and most likely still did, but because of Lucius was here; she knew something was wrong. She slowly opened the door and took in the older man's appearance. His shoes were as shiny as ever, he wore black slacks with a white button down shirt slighty tucked into his pants. He had a black wizards robe over his attire, but still flaunted his muscles and slim body, knowing it made women fall on their knees in front of him.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione asked with as much venom as possible despite the odd feeling to run and hug the man that reminded her so much of Draco.

"I need to talk to you, Miss Granger. May I come in?" he asked in a polite yet irritated way.

"Why should I trust you?"

"Smart girl to ask such a thing, but it is urgent. You are the only one I know who can help me," Lucius said in a more needing voice.

"Depends. What do I get in return for my help?" Hermione asked, feeling quite like the Slytherin before her.

"My son," he said matter of factly. "In fact, I need you to help my son." Once he said that, she knew he was not joking when he said she could have him.

"Please, come in. Make yourself at home. Would you like some tea?" Hermione asked, feeling quite annoyed at herself in a way.

"No, no. None at all, thank you dear," Lucius said and Hermione froze. Lucius called her dear... not mudblood, or Granger. Not even Hermione, but dear. In a way that reminded Hermione way too much of Draco, and made her want to break down and cry.

"Well, then. What seems to be the problem with Draco?"

"He...he hasn't been himself since the war. Since before the war, actually. Since the end of your sixth year. He has been quite distant and out of the way. He doesn't say anything, actually. Though, I know he has nightmares. I can hear him yelling from his room. I don't do anything at all, because I don't want him to hurt me or worse, himself. I knew that if I let him go out into the world after the war was over that he would hurt more people than himself. I couldn't let that happen, you see. And now I just don't know what to do, so I am coming to you."

"Where have you two been all these months?" Hermione asked, listening hard to what the man before was saying.

"What do you mean, Hermione?"

"You two have not been at the Malfoy Manor," she said matter of factly.

"And how would you know-"

"Raids that the Auror office is having. My boyfriend and best friend work there, Mal-Lucius. I know everything that has happened."

"How many raids has there been?" Lucius asked darkly.

"Three. One for each month after the war, trying to see if they could find anything about your whereabouts."

"I see. As I was saying-"

"Where have you and Draco been, Lucius? I need to know," Hermione asked, practically pleading with Lucius.

"In a cottage about two hours away from Hogwarts in Scotland, dear," Lucius said after a few seconds of silence, giving Hermione a look that chilled her bones.

"Why did you run?"

"Because I didn't know what to do with Draco. I spent my whole life trying to teach him to protect himself and it ended up hurting him more. I just didn't know what to do. But, now I do. And I am asking you for help because he nightmares only seem to be getting worse, he doesn't talk, he doesn't eat. And on more than one occurance I have stopped him for killing himself. I need you to save my son so I can be the father I never was. And more than anything, I need you to save him so he can save you. I can see it, Miss Granger. I can see the distant look in your eyes, the chills I give you. And...I'm sorry. I don't apologize every day, so don't expect one again. But, I am. I just need you to save my son," Lucius begged Hermione, looking on the edge of tears, looking deep into Hermione souls through her chocolate orbs.

"I'll help him, Lucius. On one condition."

"Anything, anything at all."

"You apologize only twice more. To the Weasley family at their lunch tomorrow, for everything you have done to that family over the past eight or nine years, and to your son. After I help him, when he can clearly understand you. We didn't talk about it, but you hurt him more than anyone else in the entire world. You are the reason he is like how you say he is."

"I would not be so sure, Miss Granger. You were the one who left him when he needed you the most," Lucius said, getting his stoney tone back.

"But, you planted all the evil things into his head," she said back.

"Fair enough. Now, will Draco be joining us to lunch tomorrow? And why to the Weasley's?"

"No. I will wait to see him till after lunch. And because I am fixing to hurt the one Weasley who means the most to me tomorrow and I want you there to tell them why. I want you there to tell them what you have told me, so they know exactly where to find me."

"Where to find you?"

"I don't know if you are telling the truth, yet, Lucius."

"Why would I not tell you the truth?" Lucius asked with an amused smile forming on his face.

"Because I know you Malfoy's way too well."

"Well I should be going. I don't want anything to happen to Draco while I am gone," Lucius said standing up from his seat on the couch.

"Did you leave Draco alone?" Hermione asked appalled.

"Of course not. I made sure that the house elf stayed by his side the whole entire time. I am not that daft, dear."

"Right. See you tomorrow. Come here first, and I shall take you with me to the Burrow,"

"I know where the Burrow is," Lucius said.

"But you will be going into Weasley territory, Lucius. Dangerous place to be with all those Aurors everywhere."

"Ah, right you are. Have a pleasant day," Lucius said before apparated on the stop. Hermione looked at the place he stood for a second before bursting into tears she had not realized she had been holding. Tears that were past time to drip from her eyes and fall to the hard wood floor of her apartment.

**A/N: Okay. The first chapter is done. How do you like it? PLEASE REVIEW OR I WILL NOT CONTINUE. And that's a promise...and a threat. (: Love, Halle.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**A/N: Here is the second chapter! For musical inspiration I have "Determinate" from the Disney movie Lemonade Mouth. Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

_**Chapter Two: Lunch with the Weasley's**_

"Why do I have to go to lunch with you and these _people,_ again?" Lucius asked as Hermione and himself walked through the wards of the Weasley home.

"Because, you have to tell them why I am helping you. They don't always believe me even if they don't say it out loud," Hermione said wondering exactly why she had invited him.

"If they don't always believe you, they have no right to believe me, Gra-Hermione."

"You can call me Granger if you want," Hermione said, hoping he would. When he said it he sounds too much like Draco, and it brought back memories that she didn't want to bring back.

_"Look, Draco. I love you. With all my heart. And I always will. But, I can't-"_

_"Please, Hermione. Don't say it," he pleaded, starting to cry. Malfoy's never cried, but Draco didn't think he was a Malfoy anymore._

_"Draco. It's for the best. I can't be with you anymore. But, I will wait for you. You know that," Hermione said._

_"Yeah. I do. I have to do it, Hermione."_

_"Do what?"_

_"I- I really can't tell you."_

_"Fine. Don't tell me. I-I love you," she said, moving to kiss him._

_"I love you, too, Hermione," he said after their kiss, pulling her into a hug._

"Hermione?" Lucius said, pulling Hermione out of her daydream.

"What?" she said, shaking her head.

"You can't keep thinking about Draco. Not today anyways."

"Why the hell can't I?"

"Because, it doesn't do well the dwell in the past. Especially when you don't know how the future is going to end."

"Do you dwell in the past?"

"Only because I know I've made mistakes and they can help me correct my future."

"Well, then let me dwell in _my_ past so I can correct _my_ future, Lucius. I broke your son's heart and I plan to fix it," Hermione said as she knocked on the door that led into the kitchen of the Burrow. George opened the door a few seconds later yelling back to one of the siblings inside the house.

"No Bill! Sit down! I got the door!" George yelled, not looking at the two in the doorway.

"Fine then! Just don't run anybody off!" Bill yelled back.

"Why the bloody hell would I run anyone off!" George yelled, getting irritated.

"George Weasley, watch your language!"

"Okay, Mum!" he said as he turned to face the two at the door.

"Hermione!" he yelled as he ran towards her to give her a big hug.

"Hullo, George," she said, sounding like he was squeezing the air out of her.

George released her and looked at the blonde man standing there.

"What the hell is he doing here?"

"Did your mother not tell you I was bringing a guest?" Hermione asked.

"No one tells me anything, anymore, Hermione. They think I don't have enough mental capability."

"I don't think that."

"Yeah, but you are the smart one here."

"Of coure I am. How was your week, George? Lucius, the sitting room is just around the corner, make yourself at home."

"Okay," Lucius said before walking off.

"My week was good. Not eventful, which I am glad for. Yours?"

"Uneventful until yesterday, but good none the less."

"He asked for your help with something, didn't he?" George asked looking directly into Hermione's eyes.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because if he didn't the only other option was that he was claiming you as his slave, in which case you probably would not be here right now. Don't lie to me, Hermione?"

"You are smarter than your family thinks, George. Shall we join the others?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"Of course fair lady," George asked taking Hermione's hand and moving her along to the sitting room. When they got there, they got a surprise.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled as he ran towards Hermione and engulfing her into big hug.

"Hi Ron," she said as she looked over his shoulder and saw Lucius standing against the fartherest wall, Percy and Harry sitting on the couch, with Ginny on Blaise's lap on the floor near the couch. Bill and Fleur were sitting on the floor near the wall that Lucius was against. Everyone was looking at them, mostly Hermione.

"Hello everybody," Hermione said.

"Want to explain the Malfoy in our home, Hermione?" Ginny asked, trying to sound like she wasn't as mad as she was.

"Later. After lunch," Hermione said starting to move around the room giving hugs.

"Does it have to do with who I think it does?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but after lunch, Harry."

"No. I propose we talk about this now," Ginny said.

"Look, Ginny, she doesn't want to talk about it until after lunch. Can we not respect her wishes?" George asked.

"No we can't. Why do you care, George? Don't you want to know why also?" Ginny backfired.

"Yes, but unlike you I respect Hermione and her wishes, mostly because she is the only one who respects mine. So if you don't mind, Hermione would you like to be sitted for lunch? It starts in a few minutes," George asked.

"Of course. Lucius?" Hermione asked, smiling at him, silently thanking him.

"I am right behind you," Lucius said quicly following Hermione and George. But George stopped and turned to Lucius.

"Hello. I am George Weasley. Welcome to my home," George said, holding out to Lucius.

"Hello. I am Lucius Malfoy. Thank you for having me in your home," Lucius said, accepting the young man's hand.

"Please follow us and I will take you to your seat," George said, continuing in the direction he had started at before.

"Why did you stand up for me?" Hermione asked once they were out of earshot of the others.

"Because sometimes even the strongest person needs protection."

"Thank you."

It wasn't long before the other people in the house hold made there way to the table outside for lunch.

"Hermione, dear, how was your week?" Molly asked as she gathered food onto her plate.

"My week was fine. How was yours Molly?"

"It was just the same. Anything interesting happen?"

"I..." she started.

"You should tell us why Malfoy is here." Ginny said.

"Oh, please call me Lucius," Lucius said, trying not to get into the conversation, but hating the name Malfoy.

"If you don't mind me asking, where have you been for the past few months, Lucius?" Harry asked, wanting to know. Mostly because he was the head of the raids on the Malfoy Manor.

"I have been about two hours away from Hogwarts, Harry. I have been taking care of my son," he said, hoping to get some of the Weasley's to understand why he was here and with Hermione.

"Why do you need to take care of Draco?" Ginny asked with a slightly interested, slightly worried tone and expression.

"Draco is it now?" Bill asked, amused.

"I was friends with him, Bill," Ginny said.

"Why?" George asked.

"Because-"

"I'll tell them, Ginny," Hermione said as everyone looked at her.

"You don't have to do that, Hermione," Ron said, knowing what she was going to say.

"They deserve to know."

"Fine," he said, looking down at his plate. He never did like Draco, and Hermione knew that. She knew that well.

"I dated Draco in our sixth year, for a good six months," Hermione said.

"You dated Draco fucking Malfoy?" George asked.

"That is my son you are talking about," Lucius said, sternly.

"Is that why you want her help? Draco needs someone to take care of him and you can't do it anymore?" George asked.

"What do you mean Draco needs help?" Blaise asked, speaking for the first time.

"Do you want me to tell them, Granger?" Lucius said.

"Yes please."

"Draco is...in trouble. Not with the law, but with himself. He was out of it, and he has been distant. After the war, he tried to kill himself-"

"Oh my," Molly exclaimed.

"And he tried again a month later. I know he will try again in the future, but I don't want it to come to that. So, I need Hermione's help. I don't know if it is just with the heartbreak of losing her, or losing his mother, or everything about the war combined, but he needs someone there for him and I can't be that person. It has to be Hermione," Lucius explained.

"But why does it have to be Hermione? Can't it be another person who cares about him and can help him more than she can? She is only a girl," Molly asked and reasoned.

"But, she is the smartest girl in the world," Percy said.

"The smartest girl in the world who is going to help an ex while she has a boyfriend," George stated irritated.

"Yeah...yeah! She has a boyfriend! You can't take her away from me, Malfoy!" Ron explained.

"As I see it, your girlfriend has a fiance," Lucius said with a sly smile on his face as a look of disapproval came across Ron and George's face.

"What do you mean Hermione has a fiance?" Harry asked.

"Hermione. Where did you get that ring that you showed me before?" Ginny asked as Hermione quietly continued eating, purposely not looking at anyone at the table.

"What ring? That ring you wear on your right hand all the time?" Ron asked.

"That huge diamond ring?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. That one. Where did you get it?" Ginny asked.

Hermione swallowed the food that was in her mouth and let out a sigh. She had to tell them before she left, she just had too.

_But, that all went away when she opened the velvet box. The last thing to open it._

_Inside she found a beautiful ring; a single band with a large cut circular diamond in the middle. A single diamond. It was plain, plain and simple. But it was gorgeous. She also found a note._

_**Will you marry me, Hermione?**_

_**-DM**_

"Draco gave me that ring, along with a note asking for me to marry him," she said plainly.

"Did you ever get to answer him?" Harry asked.

"No. I never got the chance. Luna had given me a package with a few things in it right after he left."

"What was in it?" Ginny asked.

"A letter from Dumbledore, a letter from Draco, the letter that Lucius sent to Draco about the whole thing about Dumbledore and such, and the box with a note."

"What did the letter from Dumbledore say?" Harry asked, looking irritated.

"Nothing that would have helped us anymore than anything he gave us."

"What did the letter from Draco say?" Ginny asked.

"I don't-I can- I don't remember everything," Hermione said.

"What do you remember?" George asked.

"That-that he loved me, didn't want to hurt me, and that he would find me after the war."

"Well, he hasn't found you yet. Why don't you just give up?" Ron asked, annoyed beyond repair.

"Because he told me not to, Ron. And now I know where he is, so I will go to him. I have to save him, Ron. Don't you understand?" she asked him, mostly him, but Harry also. She knew he would not completely approve.

"No, I don't Hermione! I don't understand why you would want to leave me after everything! He hurt you, I can see it in your eyes. Everyone can. You haven't been the same since-"

"Do you honestly think anyone has been the same since Dumbledore died?"

"Well no-" Ron started.

"There you go."

"But you can't leave me," Ron said.

"And why can't I?"

"Because I love you."

"And you honestly think I feel the same way?" Hermione asked, getting horrible looks from the people who were simply watching the banter between the youngest.

"Hermione, don't," Harry said.

"No. I can if I want. And, I have to. Do you know what I would have said to Draco if he had asked me in person or I had the chance to answer him?" Hermione asked Ron.

"Maybe I don't want to know, it's not like I knew anything to begin with. Fine, go save Malfoy. But, if he breaks your heart, I won't be there to save you," Ron said as he got up and left the table.

"I'll go talk to him," George said, obviously not wanting to stay any longer. "See you later, Hermione," he said as he hugged her and left.

"Bye, George."

"You love Draco don't you," Ginny asked simply.

"I-I do. I still do. And I am positive I always will."

"You know you need saving yourself," Harry said. "I can see it in your eyes. And Ron is right, you haven't been the same."

"We have all grown up much more than we needed to in the past few years, Harry. Did you think I would be the same after all of this?"

"Of course not!"

"Then what is it?"

"Do you think that he can save you after you save him? You are too broken to save yourself."

"That's where you are wrong. Saving him can heal my wounds, too."

"How do you even know if you can save him?" Ginny asked.

"Because it is what I am good at," Hermione said, with a smile. "This has been a lovely lunch, Molly. I hope to see you soon, though I am not sure if I will be back next week or not," Hermione sid as she stood up and moved close to Molly.

"Not to rush, my dear. I completely understand," Molly said as she stood to hug her.

"Harry," she said.

"Just be careful, Hermione," Harry said as he hugged her tight.

"You are hurting me, Harry."

"Sorry," he said as he let her go.

"Ginny, watch the boys for me," Hermione said to Ginny, hoping she knew she meant Harry and Ron, even George, who had become a really close friend to Hermione in the past few months after the war.

"Of course," Ginny said, crying just a bit. "Don't go off and get hitch to Draco, though. We need another wedding in the family."

"That includes you, too," Hermione said, moving her head to indicate Blaise. "If he finally does it, be sure you owl me."

"Well, duh!" Ginny said with a laugh.

"Take care of her, Blaise."

"Don't I always?"

"Whatever," Hermione said with a smile as she continued to hug the rest of the Weasley family.

"I will keep in contact, and try to make it back to lunch very soon."

"You better, Hermione. Or we will just have to drag you back here ourselfs," Ginny said.

"Tell Draco I said hi," Blaise said.

"Oh! Me too!" Ginny added.

"I will. Thanks again for lunch, Molly."

"Oh, it is no problem. And remember you are always welcome here. It is your home. You as well, Lucius. Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for having me in your lovely home, Molly. It has been an...experience. And, I almost forgot. I made a _promise_ to Hermione. I just wanted to say sorry for all the pain I have conflicted upon this beautiful family."

"Well, I apologize for the children's behavior. They are normally better than this," Molly said sending glares at all of the children. "And think nothing of it, Lucius. It has all been forgotten. It is the past. Children, apologize for the behavior."

"Oh no, it is fine. Really. It has been a wonderful day. Completely different from all the quiet I get back...home," Lucius said with a rare smile upon his face.

"Yes, yes. Well, please tell Draco that he is also welcome here whenever needed. We always have plenty of room."

"Of course. Hermione, are you ready to go?"

"Yes. See you all later!" she shouted as she ran to catch up with Lucius who had started to walk towards the wards.

"Can I ask you a question, Lucius?"

"Sure," Lucius said going back to his stone cold tone he was hiding so well during lunch.

"Why did you pick now to ask me to help? And not, say, right after the first time he tried to-"

"Because I am old, Hermione. Even as wise as I say I am, I make mistakes. But, I can't take it anymore. I can't wait until the next time he tries to do something. And because I told him I would do anything he asked of me."

"And he..."

"He asked for you, Hermione. He specifically asked me to get you."

"Wha-why?"

"How should I know the reasons behind a mad man?" Lucius asked as he outstretched his arm for Hermione.

"Because you are one yourself," Hermione stated, grapping a hold of Lucius's arms, instantly feeling the twisted feeling in her stomach she gets with apparation.

**A/N: How did you like lunch? Think Ron will come to his senses? Tell me what you think. And thanks for all the reviews I have gotten so far, they are amazing! Seriously! Thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor will I ever.**

**A/N: Okay... First of all, I want to thank everybody for the amazing reviews! I greatly appreaciate it. Secondly, someone (iFFY) asked me to give them an email when the next chapter comes up, but I don't know who you are. Sorry. :/ It you know this person, or you are this person, please let me know.**

**Music Choice:**** "Exit Wounds" - The Script, "Believe" - The Bravery**

_**Chapter 3: For The First Time**_

"Welcome to our summer house, Hermione," Lucius said as Hermione looked at the house.

It was at least three stories high, just by the look of it. It was a good seven times the width of the Burrow, though Hermione could have sworn it was more. The whole mansion was a light sky blue color with white accents. There were big bushes along the whole front side of the outside, but stopped just in time for people to get through the big double white doors. In the middle of each of the doors, Hermione could see brass knockers in the symbol of the Malfoy emblem. All of the windows in on the front of the of the mansion had brass railing over them, as if they didn't want anyone to escape of jump out of them, but they fit the old style of the mansion. Hermione was already in the love with the summer ho- mansion, and she had not even stepped foot into it.

"It isn't a home, Lucius, it is a mansion," she said, turning her head to look at him.

"Yes, well, either way, right now it doesn't feel very home-like, so I hope you enjoy more than then Draco and I."

"I am sure I can change that for the both of you, fairly quickly," she said, with a smile.

"I hope you can. Come along, you must want to see Draco. It has been a fairly long day."

"Yes, it has. You said this was two hours to Hogwarts, correct?"

"Yes. But, that is by broom. I am sure you can apparate into Hogsmeade and get there faster. Why do you ask?" Lucius asked thoughtfully.

"Because, I have been missing home, and I am sure Draco has also," Hermione said as they reached the double doors, and Lucius opened the doors for both of them, letting Hermione go first.

"Please, make yourself at home. You can stay in Draco's room, or you can have the third floor to yourself. It has been a flat like area for years now, with everything you will need including a kitchen. I don't use it because it feels too lonely, but you are welcome at it. Here at our summer home, an elf will serve you for meals, but if you don't wish to use them for anything else, you don't have to. Draco's room is on the left side of the second floor, second door on the right. I am sure you can go in there when you want," Lucius said as he walked into the door on the right side of the intry way. Hermione guess it was a sitting room.

"Okay. Is an elf going to get my bag? And yes, I think I will take the third floor for a little while."

"Yes, I will have an elf do it. And that is perfectly fine."

"Thank you. I think I will go see Draco now."

"That is fine, dear," Lucius said as he walked into the room. Hermione could hear the door lock and she thought she didn't want to know what was in that room. She quickly made her way up the stairs to the second floor. She looked to her right and found that there were four doors, two on each side. She quickly noted to explore each room when she got the chance, but now she was tired, and only wanted to see Draco, so she turned to her left. There were also four doors just like the other side. She quietly made her way to the last door on the right. She didn't know why but she was scared. She didn't know if he looked the same, if he had lost so much weight the he was a stick, or if he had lost all the hair he had on his head from so much drama. She was also scared in case for some reason he didn't remember her.

Hermione looked down at her hands. She had placed her ring on the left ring finger, in hopes that when Draco saw her, and he remember who she was, that he would see that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. And somewhere deep down, she wished that once he saw that, that he would instantly be back to life, so to speak. That he would get a happy gleam in his eyes, and that he would run to her, and he would engulf her with a huge hug, one that she had missed all these months since the end of her sixth year. And most of all, she wished that he would get on one knee, and properly ask her, and then when she said yes, he would get up and kiss her with every emotion that he felt and for all the time they didn't spend kissing. But, she knew she was wishing for the best, most possible answer. She never had that much luck.

She knocked on the door twice. Nothing. She knocked on the door again. Nothing. So, she walked in. She found Draco in a chair that faced the window. He was looking out the window, seemingly oblivous to the face that Hermione was there. That was until he turned his head to face her. His expression shocked Hermione. It was full of love, but he face was still as cold and lifeless like she had remembered from during the battle. He looked peaceful now, though, and that was the only difference. But, he was just as Hermione remembered him, blonde hair and all. Though, Hermione knew it was much worse than simply his appearance that she should have been worried about.

Hermione quickly moved to sit next to Draco, in the chair next to him, looking out the window seeing a beautiful view of a lake. It was minutes before a low, husky voice, broke the silence.

"Hello, Hermione," Draco said, quietly.

"Hi, Draco. How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Have you slept at all today?" she asked, continuing to look out the window.

"No," he answered simply.

"When was the last time you slept?"

"June."

"That was almost two weeks ago."

"Yep."

"Would you like to sleep now?"

"No."

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"What would you like to do then?"

"Sit."

"Okay," Hermione said, tired of the one word responses. She knew she wasn't going to get anywhere with him in one day, but she was hoping for more than she got.

"I am tired, may I sleep in your bed?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Thank you," she said as she got up. Before she moved to the bed, she kissed Draco on the cheek. When she stood up straight again, she could see the slightest smile upon his face.

Before she got into his bed, she went to his closest and found a big green t-shirt to sleep in. She undressed and put the t-shirt on, only leaving on her underwear. She climbed into the bed, and turned to look at Draco, still sitting in the chair looking out the window, which gave off the orange light from the sunset. Then she thought of something that might make him wake up a bit.

She got out of the bed, and walked over to Draco and stood on his left side. She looked out the window and saw the most amazing sunset ever. She could only see half the sun, the rest hidden by the lake. The whole sky was colored with bright and dark oranges, with streaks of pink, yellow, and dark reds. It reminded her of the sunsets she would watch with Harry and Ron at Hogwarts after Qudditch games.

"It is beautiful, Draco. Do you watch it every night?"

"Yes," he said after a few moments.

"Would you like to join me in bed?" she braved.

"Maybe."

"Well that is better than a yes or no," she thought out loud.

"Sit," he said.

As she moved to the chair to his right he stopped her.

"No."

"Where then?"

"Lap," he said simply.

"Okay," she said as she said in his lap. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, her nose touching his soft skin. She didn't want to say anything, she only wanted to sleep, but Draco's words broke her out of her idea.

"Hermione?" he asked, softly.

"Yes, dear?"

"Did you give up?" he asked, and Hermione knew exactly what he meant.

"No," she said.

"Okay," he replied.

"Blaise and Ginny said hi. Would you like to go see them soon?"

"When?"

"Next Sunday. Molly always makes big lunches for all the Weasley's. You don't have to go, though. She did say you are always welcome there."

"Maybe."

"Can we lay down in the bed?" she asked after five minutes of silence.

"Yes," he said as Hermione got off his lap and stood in front of him, giving him enough space to get up. He got up and walked over to the bed without waiting for Hermione. He laid in bed, almost like a stiff board, on his back and looking up and the ceiling. Hermione thought that he wasn't the Draco she knew, but she would give anything to get him back. She made her way to the side that Draco wasn't on and crawled into bed. She laid out just like he did; like a board.

"Draco?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Do you forgive me for leaving you?"

"Yes."

"Good. I love you, Draco," she said, turning to her side so she could face him, hoping he would say something. But, he didn't. He was quiet, but his eyes were open. Five minutes later, she was asleep, and did not notice that Draco had turned to his side, managed to put his arm under Hermione's head, and put his free arm around her waist to hold her tight.

"I love you, too, Hermione," Draco said as he drifted off to sleep, for the first time in over a week.

**A/N: Okay. So... Hermione has finally seen Draco. I know he didn't say much, but I mean, do you expect him too. I honestly wasn't going to make it to where he didn't say anything but stay when she wanted to go to sleep, but I think I will make that for another chapter. Did you like it? What is something you want to see happen in this story? IF I DON'T GET AT LEAST FIVE REVIEWS... Love, Halle.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. I greatly appreaciate it! **

**Music Choice: "Walk Away" -The Script ft. B.O.B (You need to listen to this song, its amazing)**

_**Chapter 4: More Than One Word**_

Hermione woke up to find herself encased in a strong hold. She was facing the door and the window, leaving her back up against the strong, molded chest. Her head was on a long and slender arm, though she could feel the huge bicep muscles. Another arm was thrown around her waist, keeping her pinned to the body behind her.

Hremione thought about the day before. She had got up, ate a small breakfast, watched the muggle news, got ready for lunch at the Weasley's, arrived with Lucius, ate lunch, left with Lucius and arrived at his beautiful summer mansion. And lastly she went upstairs to see Draco. That was where her day ending and she put one hundred percent of her faith that she was with him now.

Hermione lightly, but quickly, turned in Draco's arms to face him. She looked at his face. It was pale and he had dark circles under eyes from the weeks of not sleeping. His bright blonde hair was slightly longer, but was not slicked back by hair products so it fell onto his forehead and into his eyes. Even though he looked kind of sick by his appearance, Hermione thought that Draco looked like a peaceful two year old that had not been through a war, a heartbreak, and beatings and such. He was a beautiful man, and Hermione could only hope that she could save him.

She moved her hand to caress his cheek. And she moved her hand down his face his eyes opened, with a shocked and rather scared expression on his face. But, he didn't say anything.

"Sorry. I didn't know it would wake you. You looked so peaceful," Hermione said, quietly and after a few moments of staring at each other.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Hermione asked. Draco only nodded his head, still not saying a word. "Well then, what would you like?"

Draco was quiet for a few minutes, staring into Hermione's eyes. His stare was so intense that Hermione could have guessed he was using Legimens on her. But, after a minute of the intense looks, he spoke.

"Pancakes," he said quietly.

"Okay. Well, come one then," Hermione said as she tried to get out of Draco's strong hold on her body.

"No," he said even softer than before.

"No?"

"No," he repeated.

"And why not?" she asked

"House elf."

"I want to make you the pancakes," Hermione said with a small smile.

"No."

"Why?"

"Bed."

"Are you going to say more than one word at a time to me?"

"No."

"Fine, then. Call the house elf." As she said this, Draco clapped his hands once and a small elf appeared before the bed.

"Can Polly get anything for Master and his Miss?" the small asked.

"Um, yes. Can Polly please bring us some pancakes?" Hermione asked looking at the elf, wondering if the elf would listen to her, considering she was not the elf's master.

"Of course, miss. Polly will bring them up quickly." And with that, Polly was gone and Draco and Hermione were in silence.

Hermione quietly turned to face Draco again, hoping to see him looking at the ceiling only to find him looking dead at her.

"When are you going to talk to me again?" Hermione asked softly, hoping her words didn't sound as heart broken as her heart felt.

Draco didn't say anything. He simply continued to stare into Hermione's chocolate eyes. He was still staring into her eyes when a pop filled the tiny room.

"Polly is here to bring Master and Miss pancakes," the elf said, looking timidly between Hermione and Draco, who had not unlocked looks.

"Thank you, Polly. You may go now," a different voice said from the doorway, shortly before another pop echoed, signalling that the elf was gone.

"Lucius," Hermione said, removing herself from Draco's hold and getting out of bed, still in Draco's big shirt.

"Hermione. How are you feeling? I hope you slept well," Lucius said as he moved to sit in a chair by the window.

"I slept rather well, thank you, and am feeling just the same. And yourself?" Hermione said as she moved to sit beside Lucius in the chair that Draco had been sitting in when she arrived to the room on the second floor the day before.

"My sleep was of little success, but I am well all the same."

"I am sorry to hear that your sleep was not a success. Do you have insomnia?"

"No. No, dear. I am simply worried. But, now that you are here, I am hoping that I can get some sleep."

Draco watched closely as his father and Hermione interacted. They talked to each other like they have been civil for ages, but Draco knew better than that. His father still hated Hermione and had only brought him here because Draco had asked of it. Draco could still remember the arguement like it was mere hours ago.

_"Why are you worrying about me? It is not like you cared about me before!" Draco yelled at his father, who stood in the doorway of Draco's room._

_"I have always cared about you!"_

_"Fucking bullshit and you know it!"_

_"No it isn't!" Lucius yelled, trying to get his offspring to understand._

_"What more do you want from me? I was the perfect child in your eyes, I even gave into all the blood shit you taught me!"_

_"I want you to be alive and happy! And obviously that didn't work out well enough if you were envolved with a mudblood!"_

_"She is far from a mudblood, no matter her blood type!"_

_"How the fuck can you say such a thing? No child of mine will be envolved with such flith!" Lucius yelled, working up to the point of no return._

_"Well I am pleased to know you don't want me envolved in your life then," Draco said as he turned to walk away._

_"I just want you to be happy, Draco. I want you to live a full and normal life, far from what has happened before the war," Lucius said, trying to get Draco to listen, internally clapping when Draco stopped walking away._

_"I was happy with her, Father. I was living the happy, full and normal life with Hermione. And you, you drove me away. You are the reason I have tried killing myself. Because I am far from happy and full without her," Draco said as he turned around to face his father, his face hard and as cold as Lucius's._

_"Well, what do you want me to do about it? If I let you out of this house-"_

_"I wil be happier if you would die," Draco said sternly._

_"I am close to it, Draco," Lucius said, surprising not only Draco but himself._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I am dying, Draco."_

_"Wha-how?" Draco asked, his concern taking over his cold expression._

_"I was hit with a slow killing curse during the war."_

_"Well how the fuck to do you know you are dying then?" Draco asked, almost at a yell._

_"Because, I do, Draco. Don't you want to see your father die a happy man?"_

_"No. Far from it, actually. I want you to die painfully, alone, and slowly. You have hurt too many people to die happily and I can easily send you away for everything you have done if you think that I want otherwise. I will leave this house if you do not bring Hermione to me. I swear old man, I will leave. But, if you so put a hand on her other than to apparate here, then I will kill you myself. And I never want to talk to you again, whether it is in this house or not," Draco said, slowly walking towards Lucius to stand in front of him._

_"And what if I do not respect your wishes? What if the mudblood doesn't want to come with the man that broke her heart and left her so many times?" Lucius backfired, braving a smal laugh._

_"I leave here and send you to Azkaban if you disrespect my wishes. If you call her a mudblood one more time in front of me, her, or anyone for that matter, I send you to Azkaban. If she doesn't want to come, then don't force her. But, that only means that I will leave and find her myself."_

_"You sure are sure of yourself for a lonely little attempt at suicide victim, Draco."_

_"Whether I like it or not, I am a Malfoy, and I am positive that Hermione loves me enough to come. Why do you care anyways?" Draco yelled._

_"Because you are my son! The only heir to the Malfoy line and I don't want you ruining it with her type!"_

_"Her type? The smart, bravest women on earth that is more beautiful than the tallest mountain? Have you even thought about how smart our children will be?"_

_"You say will be as if you have already asked her to marry you!"_

_"In fact I have!" Draco yelled turning back around and started to walk away once more._

_"Draco!"_

_"What?"_

_"Do you know what she said?" Lucius asked softly, almost to where Draco could not hear it._

_"No," Draco said after a minute, before continuing on his way towards his bed, gently sitting on the side to where his back was to his father, ending the conversation._

"Draco?" a soft feminine voice said, bringing Draco out of his daydream. He looked up to find Hermione looking at him with sad eyes. "Do you want me to bring you some pancakes?"

Draco nodded his head, sitting up in the bed, looking down at his hands he had placed in his lap. He didn't want to look at his father, knowing he had small intensions to slaughter the women he loved.

"Here you go, Draco," Hermione said, handing him a plate stacked with three pancakes, caked with syrup and wipped cream. Whether or not Hermione knew that this was his favorite way to eat pancakes or not, Draco was very glad to have her with him. Draco felt the bed dip on his right, and looked over to find that Hermione had seated herself beside him to watch him eat his breakfast.

"I will just leave you two. Hermione, I am going into town today, so it will just be you and Draco here. Is that okay?" Lucius asked.

"Of course. I am sure I can figure my way around the house just fine. Have a good day," Hermione replied, not noticing Draco's sharp and rather painful looks towards his father. As Lucius moved out the door, Draco quickly got up and ran towards where his father was.

"Draco wha-" Lucius began but was cut off by Draco's voice.

"Don't talk to her! Don't look at her! And don't pretend to be nice!"

"And why the hell not, Draco? You have no control over me!" Lucius yelled back, obvlious to Hermione moving to stand in the doorway.

"Because I know you hate her! You said so yourself!"

"You are the one that asked me to get her! You are the one that wanted me to bring her here!"

"But that didn't mean that you had to talk to her afterwards! I don't want you near her!" Draco yelled.

"Why?" Lucius yelled back.

"Because I don't want you to hurt her! Do you not get that I love her?" Draco yelled almost to tears.

"No! I don't!"

"Well, I do! I love her more than the world! More than I will ever love you! And thinking that you could poison her or curse her at any minute burns a hole inside of me! I want to marry her! I want to be in her life! I want her to be in mine even if that means you not being in mine! Why can't you respect that?" Draco yelled, ignoring the tears that were rolling down his face.

"Because I don't respect her kind Draco! As much as I know you want me to be the perfect father that will love and cherish any women you love, no matter the blood, I don't! And I never will! And you never told me that I could not speak to her!"

"I was hoping you wouldn't even try!"

"Well, I did! I can't believe that you would expect so much of me!"

"You are my father! I am suppose to expect the world from you!" Draco yelled, past from caring that this man was just a man. He was a murderer, a plotter, a Slytherin, a Death Eater, a git; anything but his father.

"You always knew that I could not give you the world! All the money in this family could not give you the world! You are soulless to believe that I could give you as much!"

"And you are heartless to believe that I am soulless!" Draco fired back.

"You should leave, Draco. You obviously are not happy here," Lucius said, calming down.

"It took you long enough to figure that out!" Draco yelled.

"If you aren't gone by the time I get back from town, you will never leave," Lucius said darkly.

"Is that a threat?" Draco asked.

"No, dear boy. It is a promise." And with that, Lucius was gone. Out of sight from Hermione and Draco.

Draco turned around, slightly surprised to see Hermione, teary and red eyed, still in Draco's large shirt.

"You weren't suppose to hear that," Draco said softly.

"What? Talk?" Hermione asked looking up at Draco.

"No. What my father said."

"That he hates me?"

"Yeah," Draco said after a moment.

"I knew that. I knew it the minute I opened my door, Draco. I knew he wanted me dead. I am smart for a reason."

"Did he force you to come here?" Draco asked, risking his all and taking a step towards her, so he could put his hands on Hermione's waist.

"No. I came here on my own free will, I am not under the Imperious, and I love you," Hermione said, moving her hands up Draco's arms, stopping at his biceps.

"We have to leave," Draco said.

"Where are we going to go?" Hermione asked.

"Anywhere but here," Draco said.

"Um..my apartment. We will go to my apartment. What did Lucius mean when he said we would never leave?"

"I...can't tell you."

"Again with the keeping secrets. I thought we were past that when I left the first time," Hermione said, leaving Draco's arms and moving around the room towards the closet to gather her clothes.

"Hermione, don't do this. Please, I don't want to fight," Draco said, moving after her.

"Gather your things. Everything and anything that you think you will need. Leave anything behind that you think will have dark magic attached to it, because I don't want it in my house. Be ready in twenty minutes. And Draco?" Hermione said as she put on her clothes and walked to the door to go and get her bags.

"Yes?" Draco asked softly.

"When I say anything that has dark magic on it, that does _not_ include you. You are to come. There is no way in hell that I am leaving you here," she said before she left his room.

About twenty five minutes later, Draco and Hermione had arrived in the living room of Hermione's apartment by floo. Draco looked around. There was one deep red couch directly in front of him, with two smaller pale yellow seats on either side. There was a deep brown coffe table in front of them all with a few muggle magazines and a vase with a white rose in the center. Behind the living room, Draco could see a small, four person table the same color as the coffee table with four chairs around it. There was two doors to his right, one he assumed was Hermione's room and the other he assumed was the bathroom. The only odd thing that he could find about the place was that the light in the second door on his right was on, while the rest of the house was dark.

"I wonder if I left the light on," Hermione said as she put her bags down by her side and moved towards the door.

"Wait," Draco said, setting his bags down and moved to the side of Hermione. He quickly grapped her hand, intertwining his fingers with her own before giving her a nod of approval to continue. He was quite surprised to find Harry Potter sleeping on her bed, looking like he had crashed there. He had pants on, but was without a shirt. He was above the covers, as if he wanted to feel cold, and rather numb. His mouth was slight open, and Draco could only wonder if he snored while he slept.

"Harry?" Hermione said, moving her free hand to feel Potter's head, and then lightly poke him in his shoulder. "Harry?"

"Wh-what time is it?" Harry asked sleepily as he shifted slightly.

"After ten. Why are you in my house, Harry?" Hermione, sitting down beside him as he moved over, still holding Draco's hand.

"Ron, he came over. He has been living with me since you left and he brought over a women, looking slightly familiar with her pug-like nose and when things got to heated between them on the couch, I left. Only place I could think of was here. Sorry."

"Harry, I have only been gone a day. How the hell does Ron move on so fast?" Hermione asked, seeing her mistake the minute she said something, just as Draco dropped her hand and left the room.

"Hermione, you have been gone a week. And it's Ron. What do you expect?" Harry asked, laying back down on her bed.

"Harry, I only spent one night with Draco. It's Monday, isn't it?" Hermione asked, slightly worried.

"No, Hermione. It's Saturday. Tomorrow is Sunday. I am going back to sleep. Wake me for lunch," Harry said before he began to snore. As Hemione left, she closed the door and turned to see Draco standing right in front of her, so tall she could only look at his chest moving up and down.

"How come you didn't tell me you were seeing Weasley?" he asked darkly.

"It wasn't important."

"How the fuck was it not important?"

"Because I didn't love him, I didn't care, and I was waiting for you," she said, looking up into his eyes.

"I would have hoped you waited for me, without sleeping with anyone else," Draco said softly.

"I didn't sleep with Ron. I could never have, and I didn't want to."

"Then, why did you give him hope?"

"Because, he like everyone else in the world, needed it most."

"Hermione-"

"Why do I only think that I have been at your mansion a day, and not a week like Harry tells me I have?" Hermione asked sternly.

"Hermione-"

"Stop saying my name and tell me."

"Father put a spell on the house to where each day inside the house will be a week outside of it. He says it will help him stay alive longer," Draco explained, after a mintues thought, and a rub to his neck.

"Stay alive longer," Hermione spoke, more to herself than to anyone. "Are you telling me that your father is dying?"

"Why do you care? He wants to kill you, remember?" he asked.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't care, Draco," Hermione said, almost pleading with her eyes.

"I don't. Can we move on from the subject. Please?"

"For now," Hermione said as she stepped around Draco and into the living room, sitting down on the couch.

Before Draco could go any further, he spotted the glimmer of a ring on Hermione's left ring finger. Draco knew that glimmer, and knew that ring.

"Hermione?" he asked as he moved towards Hermione, kneeling and looking up into her eyes with his own, full storm brewing in them.

"What?" she asked, angerly.

"Why are you wearing the ring?"

"Did you not want me to wear it? What was the point of giving it to me if you didn't want me to wear it?" Hermione asked with slight concern in her tone, obviously hoping there was no dark magic on it.

"I want you to wear it, I was just hoping you would save it tell I could ask you in person," he said with a hopeful glint in his eyes.

"Well, that was sort of hard with the war, and the not coming to get me right after, now wasn't it?"

"I am sorry. So sorry for everything. I never should have listened to my father and his wishes. It drove us apart," Draco said as he hugged Hermione, never letting her go.

"Draco, you are crushing me," Hermione said, squirming in his embrace. He finally let go.

"Sorry. Hermione?"

"Yes, Draco?"

"Will you marry me?" Draco asked, still on one knee, looking into Hermione deep brown eyes with his own eyes, lighted with spirit and hope to look almost like a baby blue.

**A/N: So, I left you with another cliffy. Such an evil author I am! Pretty much the same place I left you when Nightmares ended. How do you like it so far? Please review! Five reviews and I shall update! I love reviews!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**A/N: I shall apologize now for all of the spelling and grammer issues. I try to get them as I type, but sometimes they don't all get fixed. Also, in about a week I go back to school, so chapters won't come as frequent, but I will have my laptop with me everywhere I go, so I don't know. Anyways, sorry for the cliffy. Hope you enjoy this!**

**Music Choice: "Just A Kiss" - Lady Antebellum**

_**Chapter 5: Well Why Not?**_

_"Will you marry me?" Draco asked her. _

Hermione was speechless. She honestly for probably the second time in her life didn't know what to say. This was not how she expected being proposed to, it wasn't the same situation, circumstances, time, place; it just wasn't right. She didn't want to say no because of that, though. She desperately wanted to say yes because if she was honest with herself, she loved Draco more than world. She loved him enough to break up with Ron to save him, to leave everything that she knew not knowing if she could save him, she broke up with him initially to save himself, she gave him more chances than she has given anybody in her life. She gave him her life, to save and to hold on to. If that wasn't love, than she didn't know what was. She trusted him with her life, and she knew that he would easily hand his over if it would save her. Marrying him would be the best thing in her life, and she knew it. But, something deep down inside of her told her that she was going to say no before she could stop herself, before she could think any longer.

"No," she said, with uncertainity in her voice.

"No?" Draco asked, with an expression on his face that had Hermione thinking that she would die rather than see his face look like that again.

"I-" she started.

"You said no. Why? Do you love Weasley more than me?" Draco asked, standing up.

"No! I love you more than anything!" Hermione back fired standing up, attempting to get to his tall build.

"Then why the hell did you say no?" he asked, more softly, but full of all the pain.

"I honestly don't know," she admitted.

"Then if I ask you again, will you say yes?" he asked, with a slight up in his spirit.

"I don't know that either," Hermione said, looking into Draco's eyes and finding them full of hurt, loss of pride, and on the brink of letting tears slip past his bottom eyelashes.

"Then what do you know?"

"That you could easily try to kill yourself at any moment and in a marriage I don't want to have to worry about that. Your dad is out to kill us, and we just spent a week in a house that has so many wards on it that it only seems that we spent a day in there. Draco, there are so many things that we need to fix before we can worry about getting married right now. I want to marry you because I love you so much, but we need to fix you, me; we need to fix us before we get married," she said, letting tears slide down her face as she realized that she was right, without knowing it.

"We can fix everything during our marriage Hermione! I have waited too long for you, I don't think I can wait anymore. Please, please, marry me Hermione. We can have a big white wedding, if that's what you want. Or, we can go get married now. I'll buy you a dress. I'll buy you anything. Please, marry me. I need you," Draco said through small sobs and reaching out to hold Hermione's hands, looking deep into her brown orbs trying to get her to say yes.

"You have me, Draco. I am right here and I am not going anywhere. Why can't you see that?"

"Because, you weren't there for me for a year. I didn't know where you were. I thought you had died until I saw you at the manor and then the last battle. I didn't think you would live. Hermione, please."

"Draco. I love you, and I will marry you, but not now. Not until everything is fixed," she said, wiping away the tears on Draco's face with her thumb.

"My father is dying, Hermione. There goes about twenty of our problems."

"You still lied to me. There are still plenty of other things we have to fix."

"What did I lie about?" Draco asked.

"You didn't tell me why you would never leave the summer house if you didn't leave then," she explained, sitting down on the couch.

"I didn't lie to you, I just didn't tell you," Draco retorted, sittiing next to Hermione.

"Can you tell me?"

"He- he put a curse on me. The same one he put on Mum when I had asked Dumbledore to keep her safe. He knew exactly where she was at all times, and she couldn't leave his side, not without his permission anyways. She finally got away one time and she wrote that letter to me, but he found out. That's why he killed her. He put the same thing on me. His idea of keeping the family together. Hermione, I was stuck there. I literally could not leave," Draco explained.

"Wh-why would he do that?"

"Because he doesn't care if someone isn't happy. He gets the reward for anything and everything. If he doesn't get it, he takes it."

"And what was the reward with keeping you unhappy?"

Draco was quiet for a few minutes. Hermione studied his face noticing the worry lines on his face, the bags under his eyes had gotten darker, the smile lines around his mouth were gone, and the gleam in his eyes had died. He wasn't happy at all; Hermione was sure she was going to change that. He would be the happiest man on the planet.

"I don't know, to be honest. He was probably sucking out my life to keep him alive. Maybe it was you, my fortune, well his fortune right now. I really don't know."

Hermione thought back to her thoughts before he spoke. She was going to make Draco the happiest man on the planet. And if that meant saying yes to him now, before everything in their rather disfunctional life, than by all means she was going to say yes. Merlin, she knew that she wanted it just as much as him. For once, she deserved happiness, and she knew that she would find happiness in Draco's arms for the rest of her life.

"Draco?" Hermione asked, bring Draco out of his thoughts as he snapped his head in her direction.

"Yes?"

"I will marry you," she said softly, looking into his eyes, happiness shown from every corner.

"You will?" Draco asked.

"Yes. I will," she said, smiling bigger than Draco, and his smile was the biggest she had ever seen.

"What made you change your mind?"

"I want to make you the happiest man in the world, Draco. And, you know what? We can work our problems out with us married. I just want to see you happy. If you are smiling like that everyday, then I know it's worth it."

Draco didn't say anything. Nothing. He just sat there, staring at Hermione with a smile plastered across his face.

"Are you going to say something?" Hermione asked, looking quite more worried than she let on. But, he still didn't talk. He simply lept onto Hermione, pushing her back onto the pillows and cushions of the couch and kissed her full on. After a few seconds, she felt his tongue swipe across her bottom lip. She willing let his tongue receive entrance into her mouth, loving that he was quickly gaining dominance like he always did when they were dating in their sixth year. By the time Hermione was sure she would pass out from lack of breath, Draco pulled away from her and rested his forehead against hers, panting.

"Your beautiful, Hermione. I hope you know that," Draco said, placing light kisses her lips, and down her the side of her face till he reached her ear.

"Draco," she moaned, though she wasn't trying to. She didn't want to have sex with Draco while Harry was in the room over. That was the reason why Harry left his own flat in the first place.

"Hermione, we should do this later. Potter might wake up," Draco said huskily into her ear, making her shiver with every word as his breath hit her ear.

"I was just thinking that," she said, kissing his neck.

"You are going to have to stop that or I won't quit," Draco warned, half moaning.

"Maybe I don't want to stop," Hermione teased, moving her hands from Draco's down to his chest.

"Hermione."

"Draco."

"You have to stop," he said, sitting up on the couch.

"I don't want to," she said, quickly moving to sit in his lap.

"I don't want Potter to wake up," Draco reminded Hermione, moving his hands to each side of her body attempting to stop her from moving her hips in circles on his lap, but Hermione having none of it.

"Why are you trying to stop this so much?" Hermione asked, stopping and looking at Draco with a hurt expression.

"Hermione, you're hurt. I can see this in your eyes. I don't want to do this while you're hurt."

"That's bullshit and you know it, Draco. Why won't you have sex with me?"

Draco was silent for a few minutes. Hermione noticed that he was looking down as his lap, where Hermione was still sitting. But, she didn't care what he was looking at exactly. She was looking at his face, watching the emotions trail over his face as he was thinking. She recongized hurt, happy, confused, and lust. But, there were a few she didn't know Draco could feel, so she didn't recongize them.

"Hermione. I love you, and you know that. But, I don't want- I can't- do this right now. It's a mixture of things. Yes, I don't want Potter to wake up and see that. One, because he would leave and I believe that you need people in your life that will always be there for you. Besides me of course. And two, because you are hurt. I'm hurt. It isn't right," Draco explained looking into Hermione's eyes.

"I love you too, Draco," Hermione finally said.

"So, can we wait to do this?" Draco asked softly.

"Yes," she said giving him a kiss.

"Is it lunch yet?" a voice said. Draco and Hermione broke apart and looked at her door, finding Harry standing against the wall, pretending to look at his nails.

"You look like a lady when you do that, Potter," Draco commented, not moving from his seat even after Hermione had gotten up and walked over to Harry.

"I'm sorry for staying the night here, Hermione," Harry told Hermione.

"It's okay. It's nice to know that someone was. Anyways, have I really been gone a week?" Hermione asked after huggin Harry.

"Yes, it really has been a week since you left. Is it lunch yet?" Harry asked again.

"Yes, it's lunch. Shall we go out?" Draco asked from the couch. At that moment, Harry and Hermione looked over at him with confused expressions.

"You want to go out?" Hermione asked,

"It's been forever since I have gone to a place other than the kitchen to eat. I would love to."

"I'm fine with that," Harry said. "Shall I invite Ginny and Blaise?"

"I don't care. It's up to Draco. Let me get my jacket," Hermione said, moving into her room leaving the two boys there.

"I can get them if you want?" Draco offered.

"That would probably be a good idea. They are at the Burrow, I believe. You should check there first," Harry said.

"Okay. Thanks," Draco said getting up and walking over to the floo, grapping some floo powder and stepping inside.

"The Burrow!" Draco yelled throwing down the powder, creating a brilliant light of green smoke. And then he was gone.

"Is Harry going to get them?" Hermione asked from her room.

"No, Draco is. Harry is right here," Harry said, smiling wide as he walked into the room.

"He what?" Hermione yelled, turning around from her place to see Harry in the doorway.

"He went to go retrieve our friends from the battle zone," Harry said.

"And why did you let him go alone?" Hermione asked, moving around Harry into the living room with her jacket.

"He needs to learn to withstand the infamous Weasley rage on a Saturday, when everyone is there, without any help. Plus, I have a feeling he will apart of the family soon. Are you going to tell them?" Harry asked, moving behind Hermione.

"Yes. I am going to tell them. Tomorrow at lunch," Hermione said moving into the floo, giving enough room for Harry to join her.

"Why do you pick lunch to tell this family everything?" Harry said, grapping the floo powder and stepping into the fireplace.

"They are so much more civil then, with food all around them," Hermione explained.

"The Burrow!" Harry yelled, throwing down the powder, creating the same image he had seen when Draco left. When the arrived inside the Burrow, they could hear screaming throughout the whole place.

"Home," Harry and Hermione said together, knowing they loved the sound of yelling as long as it wasn't directed at them.

"Ginny?" Hermione yelled.

"In the kitchen!" they heard Ginny yell.

They made their way into the kitchen, stopping once they got in because of what they saw. Draco was on the opposite wall from the sink and the stove, Molly was working at the stove, not paying attention to the three Weasley's behind her, with their wand pointed at Draco. Blaise was sitting down at the table looking quite smug with the set up.

"Um, right. What are you all doing to Draco?" Hermione asked.

"Hi Hermione," George and Charlie said at the same time.

"Hermione, he came into our house without a warning, and he is a Malfoy. He has been missing off the face of the earth for months. And he won't tell us if you were coming over here or not. Or if he was with you at all. We have a right to have our wands at him," Ginny explained.

"It's Draco, though. He didn't do anything," Hermione explained.

"I sent him over here," Harry said.

"You knew this was going to happen to me?" Draco asked Harry.

"Indeed I did. You have to get used to it though," Harry said, giving a hint, knowing most of the Weasley's were slow.

"Did you say he has to get used to it?" Molly asked from her spot cooking.

"Yes I did," Harry said with a smile.

"Oh congradulations dear!" Molly said, rushing over to Hermione, pulling her into a big hug.

"Harry, I told you I wasn't going to tell them until tomorrow," Hermione said, giving a stern look.

"I didn't tell anyone. She figured it out."

"Thank you Molly," Hermione said, trying to get out of the hug that was crushing her.

"Can I help plan it?" Molly asked after she let go of Hermione.

"I would have it no other way. Is that okay Draco?" Hermione asked.

"Fine by me," Draco said. "But, can we get the wands pointed in a differet direction?"

"Ginny, George, and Charlie, put down your wands now!" Molly said, with a stern look.

"Sorry, Mum," they all said in unison.

"Why did you pull your wand at me anyways, Ginny?" Draco asked.

"Even if we were friends, you still didn't tell me where Hermione was," Ginny said with a shrug.

"I was coming over to see if you and Blaise would like to join Harry, Hermione and I for lunch," Draco said.

"We would love to join you three for lunch," Blaise said, getting up to talk to Draco quietly, not before giving him a huge hug.

"Thought you were dead, man," Blaise said with a smile.

"Can George come?" George said from his spot at the table.

"Yes, George can come. I would greatly appreaciate it," Hermione said with a smile. "Do you want to come Charlie?"

"No. I should really get back to the shop. I'm watching it today," he explained, moving around to hug the occupants of the room before going into the living room.

"So, where are we going?" Ginny asked.

"A muggle place, I suppose. I don't know any good places for lunch in the wizarding world," Hermione said.

"Oh! Can we go to that place where you took me and Ron that one time?" Harry asked.

"McDonald's?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah!"

"That's fine with me. Do you all want to go to McDonalds?" Hermione asked everyone.

"What's a McDonalds?" George asked.

"A muggle fast food place with fattening foods," Harry explained.

"My favorite type of place," Ginny said.

"Blaise and Draco! Come on! We know where we are going!" Hermione yelled to them.

"Coming," the two boys said together.

"Molly, we will see you either later today or tomorrow, okay?" Hermione said, giving her a hug.

"Of course dear. Maybe you should tell the others at lunch. I don't think they got Harry's hint," Molly said with a knowing smile.

Of course. Bye!"

They all walked out side and past the wards so they could apparate. They were all in their own little discussions; Blaise and Draco were catching up, Ginny and Harry were talking about Quidditch and George was trying to figure out the best thing to order at this McDonald's place.

"Where are we going?" Draco asked, holding Hermione's hand, getting in a line so they could all apparate with Hermione.

"McDonald's," she said as they apparated. She got that funny pull at her organs and the slight whiplash as they arrived and landed on the ground of an alley.

"You brought us to an alley?" Blaise asked.

"We are in a muggle community, so we can't let them see us," Hermione explained.

"Right. So, how far away till we are at this McDaniel's?" Draco asked Hermione.

"Actually. We are here. This building in the wall to the place," Hermione said, pointing to the wall behind her.

"Then let's go! I am starving!" George said, moving out towards the natural sunlight coming down upon the sidewalk. They all followed him, stoping where he as right outside the door.

"I thought you were hungry?" Ginny teased, opening the door for him.

"I didn't want to go in first. That's rude," George explained, following Blaise and Draco and Harry who went when Ginny had opened the door.

"Right, because you are the perfect gentleman," Ginny backfired.

"You are teasing him again, Gin," Hermione said, with a motherly look.

"Sorry," Ginny said going in.

"You can go," George said, holding the door open for Hermione.

"Thank you," Hermione said with a smile.

"Thank you for standing up for me," George said catching up to Hermione walking beside her as they made their way to cashier.

"Even the strongest needs protection, George," Hermione told him with a smile.

"Ah, and who told you that?" George said, smiling back at her.

"You or course."

"Hey you two! What do you want? Blaise is paying!" Ginny yelled to them.

"Excellent!" Draco said, deciding what to pick, knowing he would get the most exspensive meal there.

"I don't have muggle money with me," Blaise said hushed to Ginny.

"I'll pay. I don't mind,"Hermione said, moving towards the others.

"We will just have to pay you back later," Harry said.

"Oh, no. It's fine," Hermione said. "What does everyone want?"

After everyone had order their meal and everyone was seated in a circular booth, they began talking.

"So, Harry gave a hint about something and Mum was all like 'Congrats!' Is that what I think it is for?" Ginny asked, with a sly smile around her chicken.

"Well what do you think it is for?" Harry asked.

"Draco proposed to Hermione," Ginny replied back easily, creating a silence between everybody. Hermione looked around at her friends. Every single one of them was staring at her except Draco and Harry, who were looking down at their food, most likely smirking.

"Yes, he proposed to me," Hermione said, quite nervously.

"Oh my gosh!" Ginny yelled, hugging Hermione, who was on her right side while Blaise was on Ginny's left.

"Gin, stop hugging me so I can eat," Hermione said with a laugh.

"Fine," Ginny said, moving back to her own food.

"Did you say yes?" George asked.

"Yes, I did," Hermione said with a smile.

"Draco?" Blaise asked the man sitting in between George and Harry.

"Yeah?" he said, looking up from his food.

"Congrats," Blaise said with a smile.

"Thanks," Draco said, smiling back at his long time friend.

"It's nice to have you back."

"It's nice to be back," Draco said quietly, so quiet no one heard him except George and Harry.

"Malfoy?" George asked.

"Yes?" Draco answered, not knowing which twin it was. He knew one had died in the war, but he didn't know which one.

"Don't hurt Hermione. She has been there for me for the past few months since I lost Fred. She, in a way, has been my rock. Which is completely weird to say, considering there is only a brother/sister relationship there, but she has. Just, don't hurt her."

"I won't," Draco said, shyly smily.

"You promise?" George asked him.

Draco hesitated for a minute. He couldn't promise such a thing, because clearly she got hurt at such little things. He didn't want to hurt her, but being hurt was part of the process of loving someone. Being hurt meant that you loved that person so much more than you let on. Being hurt was a simple compromise to get what we want out of life, and that was being loved and loving in return. But, he answered the lonely twin anyways.

"I promise."

"George!" Hermione yelled from her spot.

"Hermione! Look, I can yell people's name across the table too!" he said with a fullout smile.

"Don't be beating up my man over there!" Hermione said.

"I'm not! Why ever would I do such a thing?" George said, faking a hurtful expression.

"Because you're a Weasley," Blaise said for Hermione.

"Thank you Blaise," Hermione said.

"Yeah, thank you Blaise!" Ginny said, hitting Blaise's arm.

"What was that for?" Blaise asked.

"You made fun of Weasley's," Harry said.

"Was that bad?"

"Very," Hermione answered him.

"Should I expect revenge upon the two that are around me?" Blaise asked.

"Yes," Ginny and George said together.

"Crap."

Draco looked on at the people around him. They were all laughing and playing around with each other, being what he would see as a tight-knit family if he was looking in from the window. They were comfortable around each other. Even Blaise fit in with the other four who had know each other for years. Blaise was laughing and playing and he had an actual smile on his face, compared to the plastered one Draco put on most of the time. Blaise was happy, actually happy. Draco was just a doll, sitting there, forced to look at the happy family and children all around him, not noticing his misery. In words of a famous boy, he wasn't a real boy. Not yet, anyways. He would be. Draco was sure of that, because now, he had Hermione.

"Don't worry about it. You will fit in with the family soon, too," Harry whispered to Draco.

"How soon?" Draco asked.

"As soon as you let Hermione save you," Harry said, joining back into the conversation with the others, leaving Draco back to his thoughts about how Hermione was going to be the light in his world and he would keep his promise to George. He couldn't lose Hermione again, it hurt too much the first time.

**A/N: So, someone asked if I could make the chapters longer, and I tried. I hope this works. It's hard for me sometimes, and now school is fixing to start again, so I won't have as much time. But, I will do my best to hit 4,000 words everytime just for you. So...review! Five and I'll put the next chapter up. And...I need someone to write a sex scene for me. If you want to do it, PM or review me and I'll get back to you. Too much sexual tension between the two. Review! Thanks loves!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the song. Sorry. **

**A/N: Again, I have a bit of writers block, but I came up with this chapter for Hopeful and Destroyed. I guess it was meant to be a one shot for a completely random couple, but I decided to make it a chapter for a story I was working on. Sorry I kept you all waiting. **

_**Chapter 6: Can't Fight the Moonlight**_

Draco and Hermione were back at her house sitting on her patio looking at the night sky. Draco had to admit that he had a good day with everybody, and getting to know Blaise again. Blaise was his best friend, even after everything that had happened in the last year. He was enjoying himself for the first time in months and he didn't remember anytime where he had smiled so much. He was still the same old Draco; he just didn't try to fight the laughter that was coming out of his mouth. He wasn't completely happy and he knew it; he was simply trying to hold off the conversation with Hermione. She was smart, and could figure some of it out for herself, but she also needed to know everything and it would not stop with Draco's "condition."

"Hermione?" Draco asked.

"Yes, Draco?" Hermione replied.

"You haven't asked me anything about why I am so…depressed."

"I didn't think you wanted me to," she said quietly.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because, I know you, dear. I know that you don't like questions and you will tell me when you are ready."

"I thought you would ask because you like to know everything."

"Sometimes you can't be afraid to do something without knowing about it first, and it is the same with you. I was not afraid to start a relationship with you without knowing you first, and I am not afraid now."

"I think you are too strong for me," Draco said quietly after a moment's thought.

"And why would you think that?"

"Hermione, you just gave the best advice to me without knowing it. You are strong, you just are. I can't explain it, I love it, but it might be too much for me."

"You are strong too, Draco."

"Not as strong as you."

"Maybe you haven't seen your strength."

"And you think that you have?"

"I think that I have yet to see how much strength you have, and don't you remember me telling you that I think that you are strong, not physically but emotionally?"

"I do, I reply that day in my head all the time," he mumbled only loud enough for her to hear.

"Then why do you always question me?"

"It's what I'm good at; questioning people, beliefs, and what-not."

"I love you, Draco," Hermione said after a few minutes silence.

"I love you too Hermione. Would you like to dance with me?" he asked standing up and extending a hand to Hermione.

"There isn't any music to dance to," she said, before taking his hand and standing up.

Draco pulled out his wand and waved it, and a nice slow song seemed to play out of nowhere.

"Now there is," he said with a smile. Draco didn't know what song he put on, but he knew that when he did it was a muggle song and that is seemed to fit his mood.

"You don't know what song this is, do you?" Hermione asked as she moved her arms around his neck.

"Not really, but that is okay."

They swayed to the music, simply listening to the melody and enjoying the closeness between them. Hermione had rested her head to lie on Draco's chest, and his face was buried in her wavy hair. Draco would be lying if he said he wasn't in love with her and that he missed her all the time. He had always known that he was in love with her, but now that she was back he was certain that she felt the same way. She left Weasley for him, and he was a steady man who would love Hermione unconditionally – not that Draco would ever tell him that. Draco was jealous of the Weasley's, all of them, and he didn't think he could love someone as much as a Weasley could love her. It was a miracle to even think that Hermione would love him like he loves her. But, she did.

"What are you thinking about, Draco?" Hermione asked as the song changed.

"Nothing," he lied.

"That's a lie. You are always thinking."

"I know I am."

"Then, what are you thinking about?"

"I can't love you like a Weasley can, Hermione. I can't give you everything they can. I know they don't have money or anything, but you have never been the type of girl that wants money. You want a family and a stable life, and love and wonderful people in your life. I can't give you that. I don't even talk to my dad, let alone to I want you to talk to the rest of my family. Hermione, I would completely understand if you went back to Weasley."

He watched as Hermione stepped back away from Draco and look at him. Her expression was unreadable, but the look in her eyes said that she didn't believe what he was saying.

"You don't believe what I am saying, do you?"

"Draco, I don't want to go back to Ron. I never wanted to be with Ron. I didn't want Ron back in school, nor do I want him now. Thinking that would be horrific. Ron and I don't work. We are way too much alike in the aspects that count the most. He is too much of a brother to me for me to want him. Don't you see that? I left him, I left him for you. I would leave behind it all to be with you. I love you Draco and I don't want anyone else. If you can't see that, it isn't going to work. I don't care that you can't give me a huge family because you don't come from one, which is a lie if I must say. You do, they are all just dead. I still have the Weasley's, Harry and Neville and Luna and Blaise. As do you. They want to welcome you to the family. If you haven't noticed, they are very accepting."

"I would love to be part of the family," Draco mumbled.

"What?"

"Today, at lunch I saw the way that all of you interacted with each other. Even Blaise was something I have never seen before. He was definitely in the family. I want that. I have never had that. And I didn't know what to do, but Harry told me to let you save me. I want that. But, I don't want you to feel like you have to."

"I want to, Draco. I want to save you. Will you let me?" Hermione asked.

Draco thought for a minute. He really did want Hermione to save him, but how long would it take? How long would becoming a part of the family take? He needed people like the Weasley's in his life. He didn't know what he would do without a family now that his was gone. Of course he father was still there, but he was never going to let him back in his life. It was all on Hermione now, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"Draco?" Hermione said bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Yes. I want you to save me."

"Good. Would you like some tea?"

"Come here," he said ignoring her question.

She moved closer to Draco and as she neared he wrapped his arms around her and moved his lips close to hers without touching her.

"I love you Hermione Granger. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and the thing I never deserved. How did I get so lucky?" he asked with a smile.

"You had some nightmares," she said as he kissed him full on the lips. He found his happiness in her lips, but it was soon gone as she broke away from the embrace and headed back into the kitchen to make tea.

"I would love some tea!" he yelled after her as he sat back down and looked at the night sky.

Before Hermione knew it the sun was out and the sky was a light blue. She had turned around in Draco's arms and looked out the window to find the bright sun rays seeping through the curtain in her room. Sleep had come easy with Draco there and she couldn't remember a time when she had slept better.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" a deep, husky voice asked her. She turned her head and saw that Draco was looking at her with sleepy eyes.

"Can we go after breakfast?"

"We might be busy after breakfast," Draco said moving his eyebrows up and down.

"You are so funny! Fine, we can go now."

Draco rolled on top of her to get off the bed, squishing her in the process.

"Unff, could you not have gotten off on the other side?"

"Not at all," he said, putting decent clothes on. Hermione got out of bed herself and began to get ready. Ten minutes later they were walking out of the house, hand in hand, to take their morning walk. As they walked passed a bakery, they began to talk.

"You know, I have been thinking," Hermione started.

"That is always a good thing," Draco commented.

"But, we should take a trip with you, me, Ron, Harry, Blaise, Luna, Neville, George, and Ginny."

"Where to?"

"Anywhere you want to go, and have never been before or maybe a place where you have been and want to take me," Hermione commented back.

"Okay then. How about Peru? Or maybe Greece because I have always wanted to go to Greece," Draco said back adding a little bounce in his step.

"I would love to go to Greece. I am sure no one else has been there."

"Blaise has been there before, but I am sure he would love to go again."

"Great. We will talk to them later, okay?" Hermione said.

"Okay, love," Draco said as the continued to walk around the town. He rubbed his thumb over her hand and smiled. A trip to a place where Hermione would love. Life was good and he wasn't going back to how he was before. He had been completely destroyed, but he was being rebuilt.

He didn't see the old lady in the alley that they passed, and it was a good thing. She was slowly cleaning off her scissors, laughing evilly with her two sisters. Draco didn't think he could be destroyed, but the old ladies were going to destroy him worse than before and they knew just the way to do it.

**A/N: So, I apologize for the lack of updates. School has attacked me and I plan to graduate a year early so I am so packed. I am so sorry. But, thank you for all of you who haven't given up hope. And I am sorry this chapter is so short, I am writing it at school. I promise another update for this story and then an update for the rest within the next two weeks. REVIEW AND TELL ME WHO YOU THINK THE LADIES ARE! Or you know, any ideas that you think should happen in Greece and want not. Love you and have a great week!**


	7. Update

This has been an update. I am just letting everyone know I have not given up on this story, or my others, and that I am working on a chapter for one of them as we speak. I suspect I will finish the chapter before one a clock in the morning my time, so about eleven hours. Then I will quickly start on a chapter for a different story. I promise I will finish all of the stories by the beginning of June, but I do have a lot of do, so don't hold me to that. I have not forgot about anyway, and I have many ideas as how to finish each of them. There are only about four or five more chapters left in Hopeful and Destroyed, so I will most likely finish that one first. It has also been determined that there will be around 70-100 chapters in Secrets (my Rodolphus/Hermione story) because of what has to happen in the story. But, I am not exactly sure how to go about that. And there will only be a maximum of five more chapters in the George/Hermione story I have (Mercy). After I am done with those three, I will reedit and finish the Ginny/Blaise story I had up, but I think I took that done. Once those four are finished, I have one more idea for a Harry Potter story, but then I will start working on a Merlin fanfiction idea that I have.

I apologize for the six or seven month hiatus, but it is over. So, please don't kill me.

Much love, Halle.


	8. Chapter 7

**Hopeful and Destroyed Chapter 7: Leading Up To The Dinner**

"You want us to go where?" Ginny quizzically asked.

"Greece. A week. A nice week long trip," Hermione reassured calmly.

"A week?"

"A week."

"I would love to go again, but doesn't Ginny have to go to school again in a week and a half?" Blaise asked.

"We always do things last minute in this family, anyways," George said.

"Haven't you noticed that by now?" Harry questioned Blaise jokingly.

"I don't pay attention very much," he shrugged.

"So are you all in?" Hermione asked.

"I'm always in for a vacation. I've never been to Greece. I wonder what it will be like!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Old and slightly amazing."

"Oh I know it's old, Blaise. When do we leave?"

"After lunch tomorrow. There are still a few more people I have to tell about the engagement.

"We are just going to have to have an early Sunday lunch then, aren't we?" Molly said announcing her presence in the Burrow living room.

"Early Sunday lunch?" Ginny whined. "Does that mean I have to get up early on a Sunday?"

"No, no dear. Not at all. Instead, I told everybody to be here tonight for Saturday dinner. Hermione dear, you and Draco can tell everybody tonight, if you would like."

"I think that would be perfect, and that way we can leave earlier in the morning and have more time in Greece. Sound better Gin?"

"I still have to get up early on Sunday, don't I?"

"Unfortunately, that sounds like what Hermione was saying," Blaise confirmed.

"Well, fuck, I guess it doesn't matter anyways."

"Language, Ginvera."

"Sorry, mother."

"When is dinner, Mom?" George yelled.

"In two hours!"

"Come on, Hermione! We have two hours to make you look fantastic!" Ginny screamed as she ran to grab Hermione and pull her to the floo. Before she could fully protest, Ginny and herself were in her apartment. She really had no idea why she had to look so bloody good to tell the family that she was getting married, but then again, Ginny always had some hidden motive for whatever she did.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Ginny?" Hermione inquired.

"Do you think you should wear what you are wearing or change?"

Hermione looked at Ginny in a quizical expression before she burst out in laughter.

"I don't see what the hell is so funny Hermione Jean Granger," Ginny stomped out in a tantrum-like state.

"You pulled me out of the Burrow purely for fashion purposes and then you question your own motives? That is what is so funny!"

It was silent for a few moments before anyone spoke.

"I still don't get it."

"Well, now that you pulled me out of the circle with the guys, leaving Draco there by himsel-" Hermione assumed the look on her face was one of anger and mischief because Ginny's expression was a frightful one. "Draco is there by himself!"

"You are going to have to get over it soon anyways, especially if you two are going to be getting married soon. Plus, Harry and Blaise are there to be sure he doesn't get in trouble. And everyone knows Mum will be sure everyone is kind to the little git-"

"Ginny!"

"-because she wouldn't let her future son-in-law getting into trouble with the others. She likes everyone to play nice," Ginny finished ignoring the frazzled bookworm.

"You are right. Wait... Mum really thinks of me as her daughter, doesn't she?"

"Yes and Merlin knows that she needs more daughters because she has way too many sons to look after."

"You can say that again!"

"We need to get you dressed."

"I don't want to wear anything too flashy or too fancy. This is just a small family dinner."

"Honey, when Mum said she just invited the family, that means everyone from the Order, and possible the rest of the world. You must be careful."

"I still don't want to look too fancy, Ginerva."

"Got it. Um, how about this?" Ginny asked holding up a pretty sun dress that pulled together just under the bust and flowed out, ending right below the knees and was the perfect shade of a light blue to bring out Hermion's skin tone, but had the perfect amount of small white dots to be girly enough to make Hermione look like a...well a girl. It wasn't Hermione's favorite dress because of the halter top of it, but she would greatly admit to loving the way she looked in the dress.

"Perfect Ginny! Wait, have I worn that to a Weasley event?"

"Even if you did, only Mum and Fleur would recognize and who really cares what fashion advice Fleur has to give?"

"I must admit, she does have fairly decent advice in that department, Gin. She picked out that dress."

Ginny shrugged and declared, "Well don't let her know that it is my favorite dress you own in the entire world and I think you should wear more things like this."

"I will be sure to erase that from my memory."

"That wasn't even a funny joke!" Ginny said before doubling over in laughter.

"Then why are you laughing so hard?"

"I don't know!"

"Give me that dress!"

It was an hour and a half later when Hermione was finally finished according to Ginny's standards. It was beyond her as to why it had taken so long, she looked exactly the same. The only difference was her hair was more perfect curls than before, she had a bit of light make up on, and Ginny had to try a hundred different looks so there were small blimishes of rubbed in eyeliner around her eyes. But, none the less, Hermione still believed she looked exactly how she did before.

"Ready?" Ginny asked, motioning towards the floo.

"As ready as I will ever be? Do you really think your mother invited the entire world?"

"We will know when we get there," and at that moment, Ginny threw the floo power onto the fireplace ground and a green smoke enhaled the two woman. They were moving at a lightning speed through the multitude of homes connected to the floo from Hermione's flat to the Burrow. Once the motion stopped and the green flames began to exhale the duo, they stepped out of hte fireplace and noticed a whirlwind.

"George! Who is at the floo?" they heard Molly yell from the kitchen.

"Ginny and Hermione are back!" George yelled back as they saw him walk through.

"Hi girls!" Molly yelled to them. "Hermione, dear, Draco is out playing Quidditch with the others if you want to go watch them! Ginny you can either go clean the living room up or you can help me with the dinner!"

"I will clean! Sorry Hermione, tell me who wins won't you?" Ginny asked walking off towards the cleaning supplies that were floating in the living room.

"Sure thing, Ginny. See you in half an hour!"

With that, Hermione was off outside the house and came to the scene of Draco hanging on to his broom with his hands floating in the air, Harry, Neville, Bill, Charlie, and to her surprise Ron all laughing at him. It didn't help any that Blaise was trying to tell the others to stop, but was unsuccessfully hiding his laughter.

"I think you should let him down now!" Blaise said.

"No, I think we should let him hang for a while longer," Ron said.

"You know, I agree with Blaise, you should let me down now," Draco reasoned.

"You have been such a good sport, don't give up on that now!" Ron replied.

Hermione took out her wand and muttered a quick spell that put Draco on his broom right, and walked away. She was fuming and the energy must have been palpable because one of the boys yelled towards her.

"Hermione! I didn't see you there." She turned around and noticed it was Ron talking to her and it shot her infuriation up tenfold.

"Of course you didn't see me Ronald or else you would have stopped messing with Draco the minute I stepped outside."

"Oh, she just Ronald's him," Bill said.

"Bill, aren't you a little old for childish games? And Neville, when did you get here? Is Luna here?"

"Luna is with Fleur getting dressed. You know how Fleur is," Bill answered for Neville.

"And we got here about a hour ago."

"You know she invited the entire would, right?" Harry announced, making way through the crowd to hug Hermione.

"I figured as much. How in two hours the entire world can get the world and get here is beside me though. Now, where did you say Fleur and Luna are?"

"Upstairs in Ginny's room, I think," Harry confirmed.

"She isn't going to like that. Well, I am off. Draco?"

"Yes?" he answered in a cowardly state.

"Come on."

Draco followed and before they went into the house, Hermione reached up on the tips of her toes and placed a gentle kiss on Draco's lips. It was mostly to irritate Ron, but wanted to do it anyways.

"So that is why he is here," she heard Neville say.

"Thank you for that," Draco said.

"No problem. They know not to mess with me or bad things come."

"Like what?"

"You don't want to know," she assured. "Ginny?"

"Yes?" she announced her presence, looking at Draco and Hermione.

"Have you been in your room since we got back?"

"No, why?"

"Luna and Fleur are in there."

"Oh fuck!"

"Ginerva"

"Sorry Mum! Come on."

They walked up the stairs, Hermione behind Ginny and Draco following the pair. They reached the door, and didn't bother to knock and came upon Luna in a bra and jeans and Fleur walking around the room carrying what seemed like twenty pounds worth of shirts.

"Hello," Luna said in her dreamy voice making Fleur turn around and scream.

"What is he doing here?" Fleur said in her girly voice laced with a French accent.

"He is my...boyfriend," Hermione explained.

"Wait-" Draco interrupted.

"They don't know yet, remember?" Hermione whispered.

"No, what I meant was what is he doing up here? Luna is getting dressed. You should have at least knocked."

"She is right, we should have knocked. Now if you excuse me," Draco replied kindly to Fleur and Luna before walking out of the bedroom and into the hall.

"Why is he here in the house anyways?" Fleur asked.

"He is here because he is in a relationship with Hermione and doesn't have any other place to go," Ginny explained in a calm manner as she walked around her room and put things back where they belonged.

"Hermione, you could do so much better than that Malfoy kid."

"With who? I would rather be with Draco than with Ron."

"Well with Ron of course," Fleur said holding up a shirt to Luna who shook her head no.

"I don't like Ron. There is nothing more I would hate in the world than to date Ron. I am with Draco, and that is the last of this conversation," Hermione assured before turning out the door and finding Draco hidden.

"Agreed, now why are you in my room?" she heard Ginny say.

"Because you are the only girl in the house and what Luna was wearing was just not perfect enough for a family dinner."

"Mum's a girl the last time I checked."

"Yes, but she doesn't have the right clothes."

"You really would never date Ron?" Draco asked softly.

"Come here," Hermione whispered back grapping Draco's hand and pulling him another flight of stairs before sitting down at the top giving Draco no other choice but to follow suit.

"So?"

"I would never date Ron. I don't like him, and I don't love him like I love you. It is different. Before whatever happened between us at Hogwarts happened, I thought I was going to marry him, that it was expected me to. But now, now I don't care what is expected of me. I want to marry you, Draco, and only you."

"Hermione, I have been thinking, I don't think it is a good idea for us to go to Greece," they heard a voice say from the down the stairs. Hermione looked at the owner and noticed it was Harry, looking surprised at finding Draco and Hermione talking on the stairs. Hermione was at a lost as to what to do, she didn't even hear him coming up the stairs, something that she always heard.

"I'm sorry, Harry, what did you say?"

"I said I don't think it is a good idea for us to go to Greece. You of all people must know what others say."

"No, I don't pay attention to Greece because it is a culture that never really appealed to me before."

"Wow, something I know that you don't," Harry said, looking quite triumphent.

"Get on with it," she snapped.

"Right. They say that the old ways, almost like the Old Religion so to speak, comes out must when there is a large amount of wizards in the area and bad things happen. Not only does it deal with a large group of wizars, but the worse it gets when most of those are very powerful. And some would say we as a group are very powerful wizards."

"Yes, I know what they say about us, Harry, but how come you didn't say anything before?"

"Because I wanted to research the feeling I got earlier. It felt like death."

"What felt like death?" a dreamy voice said from behind Harry. He turned around and saw Luna standing there with dark wash jeans that fit her every curve and a lose fitting red shirt with short sleeves that looked pleasant against her long blonde locks.

"You look nice, Luna," Hermione said.

"Thank you Hermione. I guess I can tell when I am not wanted around, so I will see you three down stairs. It is always pleasant to see you Draco," she replied before skipping down the noisy staircase.

"She is a lunatic," Draco softly spoke.

"She is also my friend, and you will do well to be kind to her," Hermione retaliated.

"Fine," he pouted.

"We can continue this conversation in the morning, I do believe dinner is fixing to start. Have you changed already?" Hermione conversed as she stood up from her spot on the stairs and waiting for Draco to follow.

"No we can't!"

"Dinner is ready!" Molly called from kitchen.

"Yes we can," Hermione proclaimed moving around Harry to get downstairs.

"You have to make her talk to me tonight. The trip could end badly if we go," Harry stated his case to Draco.

"I can't make her do anythin-"

"That is bullshit, Draco. I am still partly sure that you had something to do with the suddenness of your relationship with her. So, I think you can make her do this."

"I didn't make her do shit, Potter. It isn't my fault she doesn't want to be with Weasley. Why can't you get that through your thick soul?"

"For reasons you can obviously not understand. Just get her to think about calling off the trip, will you?"

"Whatever," Draco said before following Hermione and going back downstairs.

"He didn't have anything to do with her not wanted to be with Ron, you know." Harry turned around and saw Ginny there.

"No, I wouldn't know. After he left school last year, she became distant and never really got close to me after that. I wouldn't know anything that goes through her mind anymore."

"Did any of us really know what went through her mind to begin with?"

"No, but it was far easier to understand because she explained herself. Now she just assumes we know what she is talking about."

"She doesn't like Ron and she never will, why are you trying to make that happen?"

"Because Ron deserves to be happy?"

"Yes, but he can find it elsewhere. Come on before Mum comes and gets us."

"Wouldn't want that now," Harry said laughing with Ginny as the made their way towards the full house and food, the latter far more appealing than the former.

**A/N: Sorry this was a little bit of a shorter chapter than I thought, but it took a while to write. I already have ideas for the next chapter and how their first few days in Greece are going to play out. Maybe Hermione and Draco should listen to Harry more often? Anyways, sorry this got out 24 hours later than I had planned, but I needed my sleep and then I had a four hour long RP sessions on Omegle (which can be found on my blog) and then I was sick and went shopping for nothing and yeah. I apologize. Look for a chapter soon though! I promise by this time in one week the next chapter will be out. Much love, Halle. **


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: On the Airplane Part One**

"Hermione, it is way too early to be on an airplane," George said from the left of Hermione, on the outer isle.

"George, it is too early to be talking. Please shut up," Ginny groaned from the seat behind them, rolling her head to be laid on Blaise's shoulder.

"Ginny, no need to be rude. George, she is right. We should at least let her sleep a little longer," Hermione pointed out.

"You are the one who got us up this early, Hermione!" Harry said.

"So! I still have respect for people's irregular sleeping patterns."

"The only person's sleeping pattern that is not normal is yours, miss 'I go to bed at midnight, get up at five and go run'," Ginny quickly shot back, obviously forgetting her sleepy state.

"At least she runs," Blaise added quietly.

"Are you telling me I need to run?" Ginny shot him look that could turn men into stone.

"No, I am simply saying that it would be weird if she just got up and did nothing. At least she does something with her time. Though, I think she needs to realize a little more, she always seems to be happy."

"Happy is a relative term, Blaise," Hermione addressed.

"He is standing up for you, Hermione, don't make him mad," Draco butted in.

"Sorry, Blaise."

"Quite alright Hermione."

"Since that is settled, let me get a few more hours of sleep before we land." And Ginny was out.

"Should we be pulling a prank or something on her?" George asked. He was clearly more himself than he had been in a while and it was an amazing sight for Hermione to see, she would openly admit that.

"If you want, George. Go for it," she said.

"I wouldn't know where to start. That was always Fred's job."

"Think like Fred," Draco said giving his advice.

"I will try."

It was not even five minutes left when George yelped up, softly as not to wake Ginny, and excused himself to go to the bathroom. Either he had to really bad or he had thought of an idea. If Hermione had asked asked anyone else, they would have said both.

"Think he got an idea," Draco said.

"Good advice," Hermione acknowledged.

"Thank you. I do try, you know."

"I know, I just like to act surprised sometimes."

"Very fun- what the hell was that?"

There was a jolt in the air, as if turbulance, but it continued for thirty seconds and it was rough. Too rough to be turbulance.

"I don't know, but something doesn't feel right. Do you feel the tinge in the air?"

"I feel it," Harry said, attempting to wake up Ginny.

"What are you- what the hell?" Ginny asked, definitely startled.

"We don't know. Harry will you go find George?" Hermione ordered

"Sure," he said, roughly getting out of his seat and going in the direction that George had went. Fifteen seconds later the two of them were coming from that direction, George looking scared.

"I didn't do it, I swear! This wasn't part of the prank, I don't know what is happening!"

"Prank?" Ginny asked.

"Now is not the time to worry about the prank he was going to pull, Ginny. Something is happening," Blaise warned.

In fact, Blaise was right. The so called turbulance didn't stop, and as Blaise finished his sentence the plane starting to ascend to the ground at record speeds.

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short, but I am trying to lengthen the story a bit. I know how it is going to end, but I want to make the story ten chapters instead of nine. So, look for the next chapter shortly. I am going to try to finish it tonight around my babysitting. **


	10. Chapter 9

Hopeful and Destroyed

Chapter 9: The End of The Beginning

"What the hell are we going to do?" Ginny asked the group over the screams of the other passengers.

"If I knew, would I be freaking out as well?" George responed.

"I wasn't asking you! I was asking Hermione and Harry!"

"Why us?" Harry questioned.

"Does that need answering?" Blaise answered.

"We don't have time for bickering children. Hermione, can you think of anything?" Draco hurriedly yelled because honestly, they were all fixing to die. He was allowed to yell at them.

"A few things. I was thinking we could either transfigure the plane or lift it enough to safely land," Hermione explained running thoughts and stats in her head.

"What about both? The fall would be too great either way," Harry shot back.

"Oh I got it! We can transfigure all the seats into parachutes, reducto the plan and then all fall to safety."

Ginny was being a genius today, that much was true.

"That is going to take a lot of energy..."

"Shut up George! It is our only hope!"

"Ginny has a point," Draco said with a shrug.

"Thank you, Draco."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Harry said which was usually a sign that something was going to happen because Harry always went with his gut. His gut was usually right. Usually.

"We don't have time for small talk! Someone come help me!" Hermione said having already transfigured ten sits into useable parachutes.

There was about 100 people on the plane, small for a plane, but Hermione was happy for it none-the-less. Less work for them to do, less people to save, less people to obliviate afterwards for using magic in front of Muggles because honestly they couldn't have just apparated there or done something sensible. They had to travel but fucking Muggle plane. Damn it all to hell.

When Hermione had finished with three more, she looked around and saw the Muggles falling towards the front of the plane; the part that no doubt was falling first. She estimated that they had about a good minutes, more or less before they all crashed to their deaths. She realized then that she only had fifteen seconds to finish transfiguring things, getting the people into the parachutes and then jumping to the ground in hopes everyone makes it okay. Shit. Shit shit shitty shit shit.

"Hermione! We are done getting all the seats transfigured but the people aren't cooperating with evil demons!" George yelled from the other side of the plane.

"I am going to tell you something and I need you to listen, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Imperious! It is the only way to save everyone!"

"But it's against all laws, Muggle and Wizard!" Ginny protested.

"I don't give a damn, and neither should you do you want to live?"

"Hermione, I can't..."

"We don't have time for this shit, do as I say or die. But I would prefer you live, please, just do this," Hermione said as she moved to put the illegal spell on a dozen Muggles. You could see their resistance leave their expressions, but their eyes still said it all.

"I want to live, but not like this," Ginny responded quietly.

Hermione looked at Ginny for a second before saying "Fine" and walking away to help finish getting the people to safety. Ginny put on a parachute and got ready to reducto the plane. She didn't know how much time had gone by, but she was sure it was only a minute or two or the plane would have already crashed. So much had happened it was like the war all over again.

"Ginny, are you gonna be okay?" Blaise asked.

"No," Ginny inquired honestly.

"Great."

"Great?"

"Means you aren't gonna die. Now shut up and help us," he said.

"No, I am the best at reducto, I need to get ready. Is everyone in parachutes?" Ginny yelled the last sentence at her friends and family in the plane.

"Good over here!" Harry yelled from her left.

"Good here!" George yelled from her right.

"Here, too!" Draco and Hermione yelled.

'Okay. In five..." Ginny started.

"Four..." Harry said.

"Three..." George included.

"Two..." said Hermione.

"One..." Blaise finished.

"Reducto," Ginny whispered as she pointed her wand beneath her feet.

The plane gave way, reducing into a million pieces. They all felt like they were falling, their stomachs and intestines left behind in the sky, cold wind against their face. Screams were heard every which way, and within five seconds of the destruction of the plane a very commanding order.

"Pull the parachutes!" Hermione yelled, the last word muffled by a loud sob.

"How the hell did this happen? Reducto doesn't leave any pieces behind!" Ginny exclaimed as she paced back and forth in front of the sitting boys. George was sobbing, Blaise was on his left looking at nothing, Harry on George's right attempting to comfort the crying Weasley all while looking far too upset to comfort anybody. Draco was on Blaise's left, looking like death.

"Pacing isn't going to help, babe," Blaise stated plainly towards Ginny.

"Calling me babe isn't going to help anything either, now is it?"

"I guess not."

"Exactly. What are we going to do? Do we need to call Mum? I think she will want to know. Do we just leave her parents out there? What about Draco's dad?"

"Do _not_ bring my father into this. He should be dead anyways unless he has found someone else to - ugh - feed off of," Draco spat out.

"You are going to have to explain that, but at another time. I still don't get it," Harry responded.

"Yes, at another tim-"

"Are you the Granger family?" a nurse interrupted Ginny.

"Yes and no. Why do you ask?"

"She needs blood, but she has a rare type of blood. I can't quite put my finger on it, why it's so rare, I mean. But, I was wondering if any of you are family, so that I could test your blood to see if it matches."

"None of us are blood related, but I am sure that one of us might have the same type of blood," Ginny said.

"Well, I guess it is worth a try. Anything will help. Which one of you would like to go first?" the nurse asked, looking around at the group, the family.

"I will," Harry volunteered. "I don't think that the others are up for needles in their bodies."

"All right, sounds good with me. I will be back for another in a moment, right this way Mr..."

"Potter. Harry Potter."

"Funny, I think I have heard that name before."

The two took off down the hall, through brilliant white walls. For death to loom down the ever-changing halls, it was too white.

"I think your name was on some postere somewhere about five months ago, Mr. Potter," the nurse attempted to make small conversation.

"Please, call me Harry. And really? I don't know anything about that. Must have been some kind of band. Probably American."

"No, but Potter is a very English last name."

"Yes, but my family is very famous, so there could be a ton of Potters in America."

"Really? You are famous?"

"If you want to call it that, then yes, I am famous."

"Do you not like being famous?" the nurse asked as they slipped in a swinging door.

"Not really, no. Growing up, being famous gave me a lot of problems in my...community."

"Not the best experience in the lime light, than. I see."

"It isn't that," Harry tried to explain as a four inch needle was struck into his arm. "It is the reason for_ why _ my family is famous that was the problem. All the wrong reasons."

"Why is your family famous then?"

"Long story."

"I got time."

"No, you don't. My best friend is dying, correction. You need to worry about her health, not about my life story. Now, are you done?"

"My apologies Harry, and yes. I am done."

"Good. I will send another this way."

It was a long process, testing the blood of the five of them. George was too hysteric and had to be strapped down so he would not move, Blaise was asking far too many questions, Draco was alright, still out of it, as was Ginny. But, questions arised when all of their blood matched to Hermione's. None of them were blood related and a small hospital outside the border of Greece had just found six people who shared the same rare blood.

"So, it is absolutely incredibly, but all of you are a match for Ms. Granger. May I ask why?"

"No, it would be wise not to ask questions," Blaise answered as he sat down in a chair around Hermione's hospital bed.

"Well, I am obligated to ask question to suspicious personas in the area, sir."

"If we are suspicious, and you keep asking us question we don't want to answer, wouldn't that mean you should be afraid of something we might do?"

"If there is something you can do that I should be afraid of, then I have ever right to answer questio-"

"Please stop. Now is not the time for fighting! my best friend is dying and Blaise you choose _now _to act like a fucking idiot? And don't get me started on you, nurse whatever! You should be asking us questions unless it can save her life, and I am pretty sure that asking why we have similar blood is not going to save her life. Okay?" Ginny hurled at the two from her spot new the bed.

"Sorry, babe."

"Sorry, miss. I was simply curious."

"Well, don't be. Can it save her?"

"We won't know for a while. I'm sorry I can't do more," the nurse said, before turning around and leaving.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I am so sorry," Ginny whimpered.

"Can I... can I talk to her alone for a minute?" Draco questioned.

"Is that a goo-" Ginny started.

"Yes, of course," Harry interrupted.

"But-"

"No buts, Ginny. Come on."

Draco didn't know what to say. It had been ten minutes since the others left, but the words wouldn't come. Thoughts rummaged through the clutter, attempting to make sense of the enigma that was their relationship, a short, not simple, wonderful one that was bound to end today. And Draco couldn't even tell her what he felt, what he wante- no, needed to say.

"I'm sorry Hermione. It's my fault. All my fault. I... I did it all. I got you to be with me, left you - practically for dead - didn't come back. I'm not a good man, I never was. I don't know how you saw past that. There is just simply no way. I love you Hermione. I'm sorry I did this to you, everything, from the beginning of time till now, till the end. It wasn't right and I dragged you into my crazy, stupid, dark, twisted, painful life. I shouldn't half. It hurt you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

Tears streamed down Draco's face as the long drawl from the life machine. No longer were the steady beeps that mimicked the heart, the human heart that mimicked the amount of life left in a person. No longer did that amount of life determine the life left in Draco, for his heart was intertwined with hers, forever and always.

**A/N: I am so freaking sorry that it took me this long to finish this story. Please don't kill me on the ending either. I just couldn't. I hope you at least enjoyed it a little. I know the ending sorta really sucked, but if I feel up to it during the summer I will go back through this and Nightmares and edit and add to it to make it more respectable and better. This was my first big big story and throughout all the chapters and the stories my style, tone, and voice, not to mention the point of view, changed a whole bunch. So, I guess I can go fix it whenever I have time. Thank you so much for being patient with me. I will finish Secrets and Mercy in due time, I PROMISE! I haven't abandoned any stories that I have left up on the internet, so keep calm and remember always. Again, thank you for staying with me and this story. It took a lot out of me, and I guess now you can see why. I love you all, now please don't kill me. Have a good holiday season!**


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